Brookfield Pool Won’t Affect Newtown’s Plans

By Kendra Bobowick

A neighboring town’s new swimming facilities may not necessarily see residents diving for pools outside of Newtown despite the loss of Dickinson Park pond this year.

The news that the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut in Brookfield (serving towns including Newtown) will be opening an Olympic-size swimming pool as soon as next summer encountered little concern from Parks and Recreation Department officials and First Selectman Herb Rosenthal. The new pool is part of a more than $2 million project.

Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian said, “They have had a pool all along.”

Mr Rosenthal also hesitated to see any harm in a new pool opening in a nearby location.

“I don’t think that will affect Newtown,” he said. “I don’t think [Brookfield’s pool] will lessen the need in town.”

He believes Newtown residents will still want relief from summer temperatures and humidity saying, “We’ll still have a need for a swimming facility.”

Ms Kasbarian is not worried about Brookfield pulling swimmers out of her grasp, “more than it already has.”

Competition with neighboring communities did not exist until this year when Dickinson closed. She is aware of residents that had visited Wolff Park in Monroe and the YMCAs in Brookfield and in Trumbull.

“With Dickinson closed the numbers were really down this year,” Ms Kasbarian said. Dickinson Park summer camp enrollment had dropped presumably because the swimming area was gone. She speculated that residents may have avoided visiting Treadwell Park believing that it would be crowded and sought alternatives, including traveling out of Newtown.

The coming swim season may be a better indicator, she suggested.

“Next year will be our ruler if people come back when they realize Treadwell is not overcrowded,” she said. “I am hoping the numbers come up next year.”

She also noted that the town’s recently acquired Eichler’s Cove along Lake Zoar might provide relief for residents. The beach was not opened this past season, however.

By next season, Ms Kasbarian said, “We are looking at Eichler’s and expanding the amount of swim area there…We’re working on the pricing and making the beach larger.” This season the cove’s marina was open to boaters who rented slips or used the boat launch.

The cost of crossing town lines may also keep residents at Newtown’s swimming facilities Ms Kasbarian hinted.

YMCA Community Awareness Director Paula Jackson quoted an annual family membership price at $790 or $66 per month. A single membership is $590 annually. Ms Jackson also explained that memberships could be tiered for seniors, for example, and scholarships are provided for families with financial constraints.

She does not anticipate any passes will be issued for the pool only.

One year ago saw a count of 650 memberships overall from Newtown, she said.

The Parks and Recreation Department’s five-year capital plan calls for a Phase I construction of Recreation/Community Center/Pool for the year 2008-09 for $5 million. The Board of Selectman has recently reviewed the department’s five-year plan and modified, but did not cut, the pool/recreation/community center to possibly incorporate a senior center to share space in the multi-use community building. The plan must eventually gain blessings from other town boards and voters before funding is in place.

Ms Kasbarian talked about completing the center gradually.

“We have to get the design done first,” she said. Phases may see first a pool, then a center. Ms Kasbarian’s considerations for Newtown’s future pool site include an enclosed structure.

During recent months’ meetings she has spoken in favor of an indoor pool house with a retractable enclosure.

Next summer will be the second season following Dickinson Park pool’s closing in Newtown, leaving residents with the high school’s indoor pool and limited hours, and the Treadwell Park pool. The recently acquired Eichler’s Cove area on Lake Zoar requires renovations to increase the beach and parking areas before opening swimming to the public.