City Says Camp Participants Will Go To Other Pools While Ammon Closed
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- When Mayor Bill Peduto came to the podium at Ammon Recreation Center in the Hill District to talk about a nutrition program, the gates of the pool right outside were still shut.
The water filtration tank that cleans the pool's water was mistakenly shipped overseas by the manufacturer.
But when asked by reporters about efforts to get kids to local pools, the mayor announced some progress.
"We've been working and reaching out to non-profit organizations in the Hill District," he said. "That includes the YMCA, the Grayson Center and the Hill House to try to find opportunities where we can partner with them to get the kids in the hill the best experience of any community."
Some details have yet to be worked out with the Thelma Lovette YMCA for example, but most of the 75 to 100 kids who usually come to Ammon daily are being served through non-profits or the city's own camp program.
"Our camp here at Ammon is going to be sending kids to swimming pools every day," said Citiparks Director Jim Griffin. "So if you're members of our camp here, at Ammon Recreational Center, we're going to be sending kids to various pools throughout the week and every day so they have the opportunity to swim. We're also asking the YMCA to help us here and they've actually made an effort to expand their swim program for free to kids on the Hill on Saturdays and Sundays."
As for the replacement part that was supposed to be here by now, it probably won't get here till the summer is over.
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