Groups weigh uses for city pool site
By RODNEY MINOR, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
GLOVERSVILLE - The Recreation Commission and the new recreation committee formed by the Common Council will develop a vision for the Littauer Pool site on West Street.
At the commission meeting Monday, 1st Ward Councilwoman Robin Wentworth said members of both groups should share ideas at the next Recreation Commission meeting in August.
"There is a lot of work to do," she said. "But we need to start with some ideas and reach a consensus on what we want to do [with the area]."
At its last meeting, the Common Council agreed to form the committee to help the Recreation Commission. Committee members include Wentworth, 2nd Ward Councilman John V. Castiglione and 4th Ward Councilwoman Ellen Anadio.
Anadio said School House Pools of Amsterdam is determining the cost of repairing Littauer Pool and comparing it to the cost of installing a new pool. She said the information should be available at the next commission meeting.
Previously, the commission estimated the cost of repairing the pool at $10,000. The cost of operating the pool for six weeks was estimated at $30,000.
The Recreation Commission received a $25,000 donation last year from the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation when the commission was planning to restore the pool.
Commission Chairwoman Catherine Mueller said it will be important for the two groups to determine how to use the money.
Members of the commission and committee agreed Monday they first must determine what should be done with the pool and its pool house.
Wentworth said if the pool is not used, much of the pool house would not be functional. Most of the space in the pool house is a dressing and showering area for the pool, she said.
A number of ideas for the pool site have been considered over the past year. One idea was a skate park, but that plan was put on hold.
The groups also agreed Monday to determine what to do about a recreation director.
At least two ideas to restructure the Recreation Commission have been suggested. Both involve hiring a part-time recreation director. City officials said the commission would function more efficiently with one person in charge.
The city had planned to hire a director since July 2007, when it approved setting aside more than $8,000 for a part-time director's salary. Around $4,000 would come from the Fulton County Youth Bureau.
However, a few months ago, the city decided not to post the civil-service job because the city was considering finding another way to have someone run recreation.
The other idea involved having the Gloversville Enlarged School District's director of health, physical education and athletics, Mike DeMagistris, serve as the part-time city recreation director.
City officials recently said they are waiting to hear back from the school district about a recreation program involving the school district.
Also Monday, both groups said they want to conduct meetings with city council members and residents to determine what should be done with city parks.
Rodney Minor covers Gloversville. He can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com.
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ReclaimGville
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07-17-08 9:57 PM
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The kiddie pool can become the kitty pool!!!
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CatfactoryNY12078
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07-17-08 4:42 PM
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ooohhhh goodie...i can bring the by bundles of sunshine down and teach them how to skateboard!!! spayed/neuter your kitties kiddies
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ReclaimGville
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07-16-08 10:57 PM
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Hey catfactory, It looks like the big pool at the old littauer pool is going to be a skateboard park. Why don't you approach the common council about having the old kiddie pool there a play area for all of your stray cats. Just a thought as always. Would you be willing to take another stray in? I have one spraying all over my cellar window!!
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livehereworkhere
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07-16-08 6:11 PM
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Well at the pool today they had 50 people show up so in three days it looks like 138 for the week so far. And might I add it was a nice selection of kids and adults not the scum of the earth that everyone seems so concerned with. Hope the numbers keep coming. I would like to continue using our pool.
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taxpayer32yrs
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07-16-08 9:38 AM
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Good comments by some, I hope that this committee will look at what would be best for the citizens of our community at the least amount of tax dollars for the taxpayers. Good luck to the people who are trying to make this project move forward
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RageoftheDay
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07-16-08 9:24 AM
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So Bubbles, what you're saying is the pool left a bad taste in your mouth? Are you kidding me!?! Waht are you doing swimming with your mouth open?! Who does that?
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LoyalSocialist
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07-16-08 8:28 AM
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Being youg myself candlelady, i know how it rolls on using the public pool and using public transportation. Every single one of my friends and aquaintences (in all tax brackets) would never had thought to take a bus or swim in that place. I just think there are better things to do with the money being spent there, like build a skatepark or some sort of recreational facility that entertains all the youth around here.
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CatfactoryNY12078
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07-15-08 11:50 PM
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does anyone know if you can bring pets into the pool..not saying that they will go swimming in the pool obviously but just to bring them in so i can watch them..i would love to use the pool and think its great for our children..anyway to get them out of the streets is alright with..lets keep our cats out of the street as well..save our strays..cat lady
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Bubbles
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07-15-08 9:58 PM
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You gotta be kidding me!!! They are gonna reopen that dumphole??? Come 15 years ago when I was a young buck my parents would take me to swim in that dispicable disease trap. One day I jumped in and as I come back above the surface there was a large piece of feces floating almost into my mouth! Needless to say that was our last trip there, and I highly recommend to all of you to STAY AWAY! Adopt a cat from the CatFactory instead
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candlelady
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07-15-08 5:54 PM
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And I, for one, feel much safer with 5 certified lifeguards on hand in case of an emergency. Being a mom myself, I understand how it would be very easy to get distracted at home and not be able to properly supervise my kids and their friends.
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candlelady
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07-15-08 5:50 PM
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Here's my $.02: I have been to the pool 5 out of the last 7 days it's been open. Today there was the most people there. 1 of the days we walked to the school, the rest I drove. We see people walking up the hill to the pool. Get a free bus pass, walk or drive. But don't you dare complain there is nothing for the kids to do just because they don't want to walk or ride the bus. A FREE bus I might add. I've noticed it's common for G'ville residents to complain, not utilize something that is made available, and then complain when they stop offering the service due to lack of participation. To whoever made the comment that kids know other kids with pools and they can/do go there, what kind of an imposition do you think that is to the homeowner? I wonder how many kids get "used" as a friend for the summer because they have a pool. Besides the fact that the homeowner is liable if God forbid something happens, kids like to eat and drink. Gets costly.
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taxpayer32yrs
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07-15-08 5:32 PM
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continued - One last comment, I spoke with Mr. Edwards and his words were " this was a fantastic idea to open this up to the public, I hope the people take full use of this pool at the small cost to taxpayer, this is a no brainer " . My hope as a taxpayer is that this pool useage will grow by the numbers and people will take full advantage of the FREE BUS RIDES that are being provided by the Gloversville Transit System for the children which was sponsored by the Police Benevolent Assoc. and the Gloversville Lions Club along with Sommerset Industries.
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taxpayer32yrs
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07-15-08 5:20 PM
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As a taxpayer with all of this rumours going on I went to the pool today and asked what kind of useage that it is getting by the numbers, a very nice lady at the desk told me that on average during the first week there were about 20 to 25 people per day with the exception of one day last week that was slow in numbers but so far this week in two days over 80 people have shown up to swim, which would almost be double the number from last week. Abruzzi, why so negative? Please remember it's new and currently there is no alternative and the taxpayers have had no pool option for over 3 years, also the pool cost over 36,000 to operate when it was in operation the last year it was open. I believe that to operate the city pool right now would cost in excess of 40,000 with the way costs have gone up over the last 4 years so this option is not only a savings to the taxpayer but also a positive quailty of life issue for our citizens.
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DRIZELLA
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07-15-08 5:12 PM
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Cirrus: You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time!!!
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livehereworkhere
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07-15-08 5:07 PM
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well there's the problem. Why would I ask the boces physical education teacher about the number when he's not there after 2:30 when all I have to do is look at the sign-in sheet for the day. Like I said 47 people used the pool yesterday why would I lie it's there black and white for all to see.
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abruzzi
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07-15-08 4:48 PM
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livehereworkhere-no sir i don't work for boces.sir why would i lie i have nothing to gain.i'd love to see the pool utilized by children for the summer.i know i'm not very smart but i can count to ten.if you don't believe me ask the pool supervisor for boces or as you said go count for yourself.this isn't fun anymore-hey you all have a nice life and few problems.
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FREEDOM
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07-15-08 4:30 PM
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CIRRUS you are still working on our dime.
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Cirrus422
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07-15-08 3:46 PM
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drizella and freedom, both write in caps, both have the same negative attitude and the same wrong information, interesting, I still smell the smithtown sage jacko kinzie behind the curtain, You were close though drizella, State worker and proud of it.
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livehereworkhere
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07-15-08 2:54 PM
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Hey Abruzzi, I was at the pool yesterday and Mike told me that they had 47 people come in and use the pool. He did say it started slow but they have more than doubled their numbers in six days. I’ll look for you tomorrow and help you with your counting seeing you’re there everyday. I also think that 4 guards on deck and one checking people in is a good idea because at the rate that it is growing their going to need them. And do you work for Boces? Because that would explain your conflict in interest. You see folks Boces does not pay one red cent to use the GMS pool and we as tax payers do. It would appear that we wrinkled the sheets when asked to use our own pool.
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RageoftheDay
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07-15-08 2:31 PM
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WHAT?!? Come on Bill.....re-read your post before hitting the button.
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Bill
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07-15-08 2:19 PM
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why not keep the pool and the skate park heck walmarts loaded make those commies pay
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RageoftheDay
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07-15-08 1:53 PM
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Sorry social for the incorrect accusation.
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LoyalSocialist
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07-15-08 1:49 PM
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Im no knocking it...im just saying that kids aren't going to ride the bus.
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RageoftheDay
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07-15-08 1:48 PM
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Web address didn't come out correctly. Just go to ****cityofgloversville**** and select Transit
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RageoftheDay
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07-15-08 1:47 PM
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Here is the link to the Gloversville Transit Authority webpage with a complete list of stops, schedules, and fares. People take the bus. People taht can't drive, people that can't afford a car etc. It's an excellent public service that is not availabel in many rual cities and towns. Stop knocking an asset. ***********cityofgloversville****/ContentManager/index.cfm?Step=Display&ContentID=30
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