A community in the Poconos is pulling together for its kids.
Officials and neighbors in Honesdale are teaming up to rebuild the borough's public pool to make sure families have a place to cool off this summer.
The Honesdale Borough Area Pool is a construction zone for the time being, but all the supplies, the equipment, the manpower and the planning isn't costing the borough a dime.
The contractor, a Honesdale native, decided to rebuild the pool for free.
"Back in December when the pool was closing because of lack of funds, it sparked our company's interest, especially mine and my son's. We all live in Honesdale. We couldn't see the town go without a place for the kids to swim this summer," said Eric Linde, President of Leeward Construction Company.
About two weeks ago, Leeward Construction Company wrote a letter to the borough offering its services, free of charge, with one requirement. The community must also help.
"From then on, we've had 30 people calling, wanting to donate materials, to plumbing to food," said Honesdale Borough Director Richard Doney.
A crew has been rebuilding the public pool, including its bathrooms and pump house for about one week.
Borough officials said if Leeward hadn't stepped forward the pool would have been closed for the summer.
"It was built back in the 1980s and year after year, Honesdale Borough, DPW and volunteers have been putting band-aids on it and this year it was totally not acceptable and we weren't going to open the pool with the finances," Doney added.
Now the pool is expected to open the second week of June.
"I think that's great they're opening it and the kids will have some place to go this year, to go to the pool and not have to go out-of-town or go in the rivers that aren't very safe," said Christina Clemo of Honesdale.
"There's not much for the kids to do in Honesdale so we gotta get the pool back open. It's just been unbelievable, people donating stuff," Doney said.
Borough officials are looking for volunteers to help rebuild the Honesdale Borough Community Pool. If you would like to donate your time or supplies call the borough hall and ask for Rich.