SCRANTON -- Despite the frigid temperatures, Scranton's mayor is thinking ahead to the dog days of summer. The city got a state grant this week that secures a plan to revive a run down pool complex in Scranton's west side.
When you see the snow covered pool floor on 10th Avenue, it's hard to feel anything but cold. But, the city of Scranton said the Novembrino Pool Complex in west Scranton has many a summer in store.
The pool and park have not seen any water or any kids for several summers, and it shows that no matter what season we're in.
"It's been closed for a long time. They put a lot of money in that place and it's a shame to see it go to waste," said Vincent Fazzi of Scranton.
The park was named in memory of the city's former controller, Richard Novembrino, in the late 1980's. It will keep the name but it will look much different. The city has plans to put a splash pad and amphitheater in the park.
"You've got a lot of low-income families that live around here and they don't have any place to take their kids. I think it will be good for them," Fazzi added.
It took a while for the city to collect the $500,000 needed to carry out the splash pad plan. A state grant received this week seals the deal.
"This is something I've been working on since I became mayor because west Scranton doesn't have a pool, the pool`s been closed for several years and we wanted to give something to the children in west Scranton to do in the summertime," Scranton Mayor Bill Courtright said.
Mayor Courtright said Novembrino Park closed under a previous administration because of budget restraints. Those problems haven't gone away. A splash pad will be cheaper to keep open than a pool.
"The maintenance on a splash pad is much less, the cost to do a splash pad is less than putting a pool in. And also lifeguards, things to that effect, we wouldn't have to supply," Mayor Courtright added.
The mayor said a 2017 completion would be ambitious, but hopes to have work started once the weather warms up.