Swimmers flock to the pool

No arm-twisting was required last night to get youngsters to go for a swim on the first night of the rehabilitated Walhalla Swimming Pool. Kids as young as seven joined teenagers to splash and dive in a pool that appears to look as good as ever, after a major public-private partnership effort to repair the pool and get it to pass state inspection. One of the movers, County Councilman Wayne McCall, said he’s especially proud that the project avoided spending taxpayers’ money. Labor and parts were donated, including a lot of work by county prisoners under the supervision of a correctional guard. The pool is expected to follow selected evenings and weekend hours as summer turns to fall. But both McCall and Mayor Danny Edwards agree a key will be to keep the pool in some kind of operational mode to avoid damage to during the cold months.