City hopes to open the pool on July 15
By Barb Pert Templeton
It’s been a long time coming but the revamping of the Algonac City pool is almost complete and a July 1 city council meeting had officials discussing plans for the pool’s reopening.
In fact, City Manager Denice Gerstenberg gave officials a detailed update on the new facilities during her regular report to the council.
Gerstenberg told officials the health department had been out for an inspection that very day and things went well. She said there are still more things to be completed.
The bathhouse has been painted, the pool deck has been poured, the stairs are poured, the walkway from the park to underneath the bathhouse for the bathrooms was also poured. The pool is full of water so that’s all done, Gerstenberg said.
The filter equipment is still being assembled the and the pool heater is there but has to be hooked up. Six of the tables and the umbrella bases have been delivered.
“We have another meeting next Tuesday and the health department will be back next Thursday and we’re hoping to open, July 15, that is our proposed soft opening date,” Gerstenberg said. “And DTE is not supposed to be there with our transformer until July 11 so we are waiting on DTE.”
“They don’t want to open on the 15th or?” Councilman Michael Bembas asked.
“We are working as fast as we can if you go by there the fencing is all up and it looks beautiful,” Gerstenberg said. “They are working on all the grading today …so it’s looking wonderful and we are almost there.
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey then asked Gerstenberg if the city has any lifeguards for the new pool.
“We do have five lifeguards hired,” the city manager said.
Davey then asked if the city is prepared for that soft opening because once the city puts out that July 15 date people are going to be clamoring for pool passes.
Algonac City Manager Denice Gerstenberg.
Gerstenberg said actually they are only going to be selling day passes for the pool at this time. The cost will be $3 and kids under the age of five will be free. She added that the city is all set to go on that situation.
“One other thing, have we discussed a grand opening?” Davy asked.
“Because we are just trying to open for the benefit of the community right now, we are looking at a soft opening first, because we need to have Sentor Hertel here, we need to have all the people that helped this pool become a reality,” Gerstenberg said. “We’ll have a nicer grand opening, probably in August once we have everything done.”
In a lighter moment Davey said the council had decided that maybe they should put some money aside to put a muzzle on Councilman Michael Bembas until the pool is open. He’s a major fan and constantly questions the city manager about the status of the project.
“I think we should seriously consider that,” Davey added, as several audience members laughed.
During his council comments Bembas said he was very excited about the new pool.
A bit of background
The city pool closed five years ago due to significant water loss and safety concerns.
At an April city council meeting five members of the city council were unanimous in their acceptance of a Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Grant for $1 million dollars for the pool which came to the city thanks to Senator Kevin Hertel. Council members Cathy Harris and Wendy Meldrum were absent from the April 1 meeting due to illness.
Additional grants for the project included one for $300,000 from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and another $400,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
In August 2024 officials reviewed two bids received for the project and awarded the contract to Robert Clancy Contracting in Casco Township for $2,924,301. The estimated cost to the city for the pool project after the grant funding is $1,300,000.
Once Clancy was awarded the contract work began on the pool site which included taking apart and disposing of the old model to make way for the new one.
The Lions Field is located at 1814 Michigan Street in the city of Algonac.
