LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is committed to finding answers to the public pool shortage in the city of Lake Worth Beach.
We've covered the municipal pool closure and an iguana infestation that led to the Lake Worth High School's pool to get demolished.
Now, relief may be on the way through a proposed new Olympic-sized pool.
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"It's just getting significantly hotter as the summer goes on," said Jordan Fernandez, who was making one of her final visits to Lake Worth Beach before she heads off to college next week.
"I think it'd be cool and like nice and refreshing to go from the ocean to the pool, but it's always been closed," said Fernandez in reference to the municipal pool that has been closed since she can remember.
It's a concern we've heard from many of you on the lack of options in the city to cool off, as well as the lack of resources for people to learn how to swim.
On Tuesday, School Board member Erica Whitfield attended the Lake Worth Beach City Commission to try and establish a partnership and financial collaboration with the city to create the new pool.
"The high school did have a pool and you know it was a historical pool. It's very important to the community. A lot of people swim there. My proposal to you is that we collaborate and create one pool for the city of Lake Worth Beach that would be accessible to residents and to the high school students," said Whitfield at the meeting.
She said unfortunately, pools are very expensive and that a rough estimate for a new Olympic-sized pool would cost approximately $15-million.
That's why she put an offer down on the table where the School District of Palm Beach County would invest $8.5 million into funding the joint effort project.
The City of Lake Worth Beach would then invest about $6 million, that the city manager says they have available in funds.
The city manager said they need to discuss operations, annual maintenance costs, and possibly more partnerships before they can make a decision.
If approved the pool would be built on the football practice field at Lake Worth Beach High, south of the football stadium, along S A Street.
WPTV's Joel Lopez shed light on the pool drought after the high school's pool was demolished last month.
The site of the former pool is now filled in and covered with grass.
Lopez has also covered failed attempts to reopen the municipal pool, which has been shut down for ages.
"I am so excited. This is it. This is the answer to the prayers for the city of Lake Worth; to have a huge pool that not only would accommodate the swim team, the water polo, the adult swim lessons, but open to the public? Answer to our prayers," said Sally Welch.
She taught swim lessons at the former high school pool and the pool by the beach.
Welch says the proposed site will benefit both students and low-income families living in the city.
"They would be so excited that they could walk to a facility to meet the needs of their children," said Welch. "We'll get the teachers; we'll get the lifeguards. We'll make it happen. Please make it happen. The Lake worth community needs it."
So what would happen to the athletes that utilize the practice field?
Whitfield stated the School District has allocated money for a project to resurface all of the county's football fields with turf grass.
Because the pool would cause Lake Worth High to lose its practice field, the district would prioritize moving the school higher on the resurfacing schedule to minimize the loss of space.
The turf grass would allow the athletes to practice and play on the main field without the wear and tear of regular grass.
WPTV is working to get answers from the City of Lake Worth Beach to see when they may come to a decision on the proposal.
