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Jennifer Grimmer, Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, and Rebecca Harrell, Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce 2024 board chair, took the plunge during the ribbon cutting for the Gilmer County pool May 1. The pool is slated to open Memorial Day weekend. -
Commission Chairman Charlie Paris cuts the ribbon on the new county swimming pool at a Gilmer Chamber ceremony held last week. (Gilmer Chamber photo)
Although an exact date hasn’t been set, Gilmer Parks and Rec. plans to have the new county swimming pool open by Memorial Day (Monday, May 27).
Last week, a Gilmer Chamber ribbon cutting for the new pool at the Civic Center was attended by county commissioners, Sen. Steve Gooch, Rep. Johnny Chastain and park and rec. personnel among others.
Jody Cantrell, parks and rec. director, said all that remains of the project is some additional finishing work to the floors of the pool area’s newly renovated rest rooms and a few more things for the concession stand.
“I’m waiting on Pepsi to bring in a cooler, and we have to install a sink in the concession area, but the pool is ready to go. All the water is balanced and everything else,” Cantrell said.
The Olympic-size pool includes several new features like a children’s play area, water slide and diving well. Cantrell said the layout of the rest of the pool grounds, including the rest rooms and concession stand, will basically be the same as before. A new water cooler and two new rinse showers for poolgoers have also been installed, he noted.
Enough lifeguards have been lined up for the summer, Cantrell noted.
“We had an orientation yesterday. We’ve got about 22 that’s going to be hired,” he said.
The rec. department does plan to offer swimming lessons at the new pool, but no special classes, such as water aerobics, have been scheduled yet.
“I’m sure there will be some new stuff coming, but I don’t have anything right now,” Cantrell said.
The summer schedule the pool previously had will basically remain the same. It will be open seven days a week until the next school year starts. After that, it will be open only on weekends through Labor Day.
Cantrell said exact hours have not been decided yet, but tentatively they are noon-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday.
Admission to the pool is $3 for kids and students and $5 for adults. Season passes are $200 for individuals and $50 extra for each additional family member up to four per family pass.