Ramsey March 27, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 9 Ramsey’s municipal pool on East Oak Street is nearing 50 years of age, and borough officials are now taking action to effect a major upgrade to the facility. The plans to begin the construction the day after the pool closes this summer, after Labor Day weekend, and complete the project time for the 2014 opening, which is usually around Memorial Day. “The municipal pool is a central recreation and fun spot for many generations of Ramsey residents,” Ramsey Mayor Christopher Botta said. “We’re excited to see an upgrade and renovation of the pool for the future. The pool has shown a little wear since it’s almost 50 years old, and we believe the improvements will be a great addition to the borough.” Council President Ken Tyburczy, who is the council’s liaison to the Pool Commission, noted that the borough has been working with Wade Associates, whose representatives will be coordinating the bid specifications and providing project management. “When the pool construction goes out to bid, we anticipate plenty of contractor interest,” Tyburczy said. He indicated that costs for the updates would be in the $2-2.5 million range. The borough will seek bids for a pool that will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will consist of a regulation six-lane, 25-meter section for swim meets, practices, and open swim. A zero entry toddler area with age appropriate water features, a shallow entry area with water features, new water slides, and other amenities are also being sought. Borough plans major updates to municipal pool “A big feature for the residents will be that the pool will be heated, and the new configuration will allow enough room for exercising or plain old relaxation,” the councilman added. The move to undertake the pool upgrades stemmed from a 2010 report from the Pool Commission to the borough council. That report indicated that several items would need to be addressed, or there would be a risk of pool closure in the next few years. “The municipal pool is one of Ramsey’s crown jewels that needed a new shine,” Tyburczy said. “The borough held a Regional Build a Pool conference conducted by USA Swimming that was paid for by the Bergen Barracuda Swim Team. After consultations with them and various pool experts, the borough opted for a redesign rather than a fix that would have been equally expensive. The most important thing I concluded, and continued to push for, was a new pool with the proper amount of programming to benefit families in Ramsey for another 50 years. Learning to swim, drowning prevention, and exercise are important skills at any age, and pools are the conduit. Our children need to learn these skills.” Asked about pool membership figures, the councilman indicated that membership “has remained consistent over the past few years.” However, he pointed out that a slight decline in membership was starting to occur because people were looking for new features and programming. “They are looking for expanded hours of operation and want a modernized pool,” he said. “We anticipate a significant increase in memberships upon the completion of the project. More importantly, the Pool Commission is focused on revamping all forms of programming for its members. I’d encourage everyone to join the pool this summer as the commission is working on finalizing the programming for this current pool’s final run.” Tyburczy said the pool will be open this summer, with increased programming to attract more members. “We are looking at increasing the operating hours, adding Family Fun Nights, live music, a new membership management system, WiFi, as well as more swim-related activities,” he said. Non-residents are invited to join the Ramsey Pool. How sweet it is! Ramsey Daisy Troop 5518 recently visited McFaul Environmental Center to learn about maple sugaring.