CC Pool District moving forward

DAYTON — Columbia County Park and Recreation Pool District board met for their regular monthly meeting at 5 p.m. on February 27 at the Dayton Fire Station. Board members Diane McKinley, Lisa Naylor, Terri Hessler, and Katie Leid were present. Friends of the Pool Chairperson Fred Crow and Cole Massey, the district’s website designer, were also in attendance.In February, the board applied for a Washington State legislative grant for $250,000 and expect to hear if it is awarded in May. The money will come from Washington State Capital Budget funds.Cole Massey made a presentation to the board about the website’s design, which will share information on the district’s activities and progress.

“We had a great presentation by Cole Massey, who will be designing our website. He is knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running. We appreciate his willingness to go above and beyond for the pool. We also appreciate Boe Stevenson for our levy mailer and for being willing to help Cole,” said board member Terri Hessler. “This will be a community pool, and the community is stepping up to help.”

Local swim lessons have not been available to Columbia County youth since the Dayton municipal pool closed in 2018. The Friends of the Pool is using donations and grants to work with the Dayton School District, The Club of Dayton, and the Walla Walla Y to provide swimming lessons for young school-age students. More advanced training for older students interested in becoming lifeguards and swimming instructors will also be available.

The Friends of the Pool will pay for the busing and swim lessons at the Walla Walla Y during the school year. The same expenses will be covered for kids from The Club who want to swim and take classes at the Prescott Pool in the summer. All the program’s stakeholders are excited about providing lessons and lifeguard training to Dayton youth and hope to sustain the program until the pool is built.

The March CCPRPD meeting will focus on assessing the architect and engineering companies that submitted statements of qualification requested and set by the board.

“We appreciate all who have donated to help build the pool, whether individually or through the gift guide,” said Hessler on behalf of the board. “Your continued support means everything as we jump through all the hoops and navigate all the paperwork involved in getting our pool built.”