Gibson Pool delays opening due to leaks, rainfall

COLUMBUS ��� If all goes well, the Gibson Park Pool will welcome its first batch of summer visitors Friday — a slight delay from this year’s originally scheduled opening date.

The postponement was caused from the recent rains and a few leaks, both near the filter and in the pool itself. The pool normally opens the Saturday after school is out, which would have been last Saturday.

Polk County Recreation Director Jerry Stensland said the filter had to be fixed, and rains delayed painting the interior of the pool. There were also leaks in the pool itself that had to be fixed.

“The tentative opening date is Friday,” Stensland said. “We won’t start filling the pool back up until [Tuesday].”

Assuming all the leaks are fixed, the public pool will open  to the public at noon on Friday.

Stensland said some of the delay in opening was because of the recent rains because the pool had to be painted.

“It’s all late because of the rain,” Stensland said. “We got the pool painted and it took two weeks, then it had to dry.”

Swim lessons were originally scheduled to start on June 5, with the pool opening on June 9.

Once open, Gibson Pool, which is owned by Polk County and operated by the Polk County Parks and Recreation Department, will be open Tuesday through Sunday. The pool is available for adult lap swims from 8-10 a.m. Tuesday through Friday; for open swim noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; and open swim from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays.

Swimming lessons are also offered, as well as pool rentals  for parties.

Open swims are $3 per person, or pool passes can be purchased for $65 for the summer, with discounts available for multiple family members. Morning lap swims are $1.50 each.

People may visit polknc.org under the “recreation” tab for more information about the pool, or may call 828-894-2646.