MILTON, Pa. — Steve Greenly was born and raised in Milton. He says swimming at the Milton Community Pool was a big part of his childhood.
"We had chores that were expected to be done, or you didn't come here. That is the way I was raised. All your friends were here. It wasn't just taking a dip in the water; it was an experience. It was awesome."
This week, the Milton City Council voted to close the pool permanently. The pool hasn't reopened since closing at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
"They did see to it that it was well maintained for years. The borough did their job, and it is just a shame that it got to this, but it is kind of happening all over," Greenly said.
According to the borough, the 56-year-old pool has issues with a deteriorating pumphouse wall, leaking pipes, cracks, and other problems. It would cost $500,000 to repair and $3 million to replace the entire pool.
"I look here, and I think, 'Wow, a million memories.' How do you put a price tag on memories? I know it is not cost-effective. I know they have to do something. You only have so many funds, and you can only get so many grants."
Carly Hill is from Pennsylvania but now lives in England. She and her kids are visiting her parents in Milton. Going swimming at the pool was always a staple for her family.
"We were looking forward to it. We brought our swimsuits on this visit, actually hoping that it would be open. We are coming back in August and really sad we won't be able to do that."
The borough says it is going to explore different options to make use of the pool area.
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