Darlington’s swimming pool to re-open in June

DARLINGTON — The ailing Darlington municipal swimming pool is being resuscitated to the splash of $160,000 and should be ready for action by the second week in June.

Darlington City Councilwoman Dyan Cohen said the city resolved to open the pool at 400 Guess St. this summer. It was closed last summer because of its deteriorating condition.

“I’m really glad to see the city is coming forward with this,” Cohen said. “There is a real demand for the pool. There was kind of an outcry when it wasn’t operating because it fills an important need of giving kids a positive activity.

“One thing I can say is we’ve had various discussions in the last year or two about recreational facilities and the pool has been successful because the kids have come to it. So it’s kind of a tested project because of the use it’s gotten in the past.”

Darlington Police Capt. Danny Watson said officers will volunteer at the pool, just as they’ve done in the past.

“The reason they do this is to offer young kids and adults a place to go in the summer,” Watson said. “We have lifeguards on duty who are police officers as well as some who aren’t. The bottom line is, this gives us an opportunity to interact with the community in a positive way.”

Watson said the pool will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The cost to swim is $1 per person a day, which Watson says “helps by deferring a little of the cost for the upkeep of the pool.”

“I do hope that this renovation here will prove to be beneficial to the community as their tax dollars are being invested,” Councilwoman Annette Thomas said during a visit to the pool. “And in terms of the children having something to do for the summer, learning to swim is an important lesson in life. We thank the citizens for now beginning to understand and to go along with city council’s decision to do this.”

Lee Freeman has worked for Pee Dee Pool & Spa for 13½ years. The Florence company is doing the repair work on the pool.

“By the time we get through, it will be just about like putting in a new pool,” Freeman said. “We’re putting in new decking, new plaster, number tiles, (a) filter system and (we’re also) putting up a new fence. The kids are really going to enjoy it when we get through.”