When I was a boy in the early 1950's, Cedar Beach Pool already starting serving the residents of Allentown. About five years ago then park director Greg Weitzel, under Pawlowski, wanted to build a destination water park, almost like a commercial amusement park. The plans alone cost $80,000. The idea was so gradiose, that even Allentown City Council, which was still in it's rubber stamp mode, balked. That monstrosity would have extended from the current pool area up to Hamilton Blvd.
Several years ago when the pool supposedly developed a bottom crack, and the city said that it couldn't be fixed, I doubted it. Last year, when the city said that the old pool walls weren't thick enough, I doubted it. Now the renovation project has another problem. The new filter isn't large enough for the pool's volume of water. The renovated pool actually has less water than the original, because it no longer contains a deep diving area, and there is a large island bisecting the middle. Perhaps they should have just used the old filter.
I don't know when the renovated pool will be finally completed, but I do know that it won't last anywhere near the sixty five years that the previous one did.
ADDENDUM: Link to Cedar Beach Pool history, courtesy of a reader.
I'm just glad I was born when I was and was able to experience the high diving board at Cedar Beach in the summer. Also the sand pile with the plastic animals that dissipated years ago.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember right the pool was original sand and without 4 walls, if you cant get building approved, then it is renovation, anything with a $ contract.
ReplyDeleteIt did. Here are some photos and additional information
ReplyDeletehttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Cedar_Beach_Park
I remember a relative used to take me there in the late 1940's prior to the pool area being converted into a concrete one. When it was all sand it was an experience just like going to Atlantic City, only without the waves. I was too young to recall whether or not the sand pool had a high diving area or not.
ReplyDeleteWhen the concrete pool opened, the little food stand was always crowded with people, although you were permitted to bring picnic lunches as well. I believe the diving boards were 6 and 12 footers; there was always some kid who would go up the high board and then chicken out and annoy everyone else in line because they would step back and descend the steps.
As a teenager in the 1950's it was fun going to the evening summer dances held in the parking lot.
This is criminal. Who is in charge of this repair project? Fran Dougherty? Gary Strathearn? Mary Ellen Koval? All of these people touched this project. They are all guilty as charged.
ReplyDeleteWho profits from all of this? The contractors and unions that donated money to Pawlowski and his friends.
I just want to have a City pool that I can take my son to.
The people in charge of the City finances should be ashamed of themselves.