LANSING, Mich. — The Moores Park Pool is a piece of Lansing's history that one local group is working to save.
But Mayor Andy Schor says, right now, it's not worth using city money to fix it.
The Moores Park Pool was built 100 years ago, designed by Lansing city engineer Wesley Bintz.
"When he built this pool, he sort of perfected his plan, and got a patent for it from the U.S. Patent Office and then sold the plans to municipalities all over America," said Mary McGuire, chair of the community group, Friends of Moores Park Pool.
While its significance to the community is strong, the pool's foundation is not.
McGuire said the pool has multiple problems that need repairing, such as a leak that causes it to lose gallons a day.
The Friends of Moores Park Pool advisory group has been working with the city to refurbish the pool. An assessment done last year revealed that the project could cost millions.
"We're still looking at around that $4 million range to get the pool up and running. And then to raise more funding to do things like beautify the area around the pool," McGuire said.
The city has allocated money toward the pool in the past. And the group hoped they would get even more financial support from the city's American Rescue Plan money.
But Mayor Andy Schor said those dollars are going elsewhere.
"The Moores Park Pool is an asset to the city but is only used for 10 weeks of the year, and $6 million in city funds goes a long way towards other priorities," Schor said in a statement. "We are counting on the community activists, who indicated that there is significant support, to raise these funds. I will work with them to support grants and other options for raised dollars, as I have indicated to them several times, as long as there is a plan to sustain the pool into the future.”
McGuire said the best way to help support the pool is to contact the Friends of Moores Park Pool on Facebook or by email at morresparkpool@gmail.com. You can also write to the city council about what saving the pool means to you.
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