Fairborn community pool to be demolished

County-owned pool is more than 30 years old

FAIRBORN — City and county officials will partner to demolish the county-owned pool in Community Park rather than pay to open the facility that loses about $50,000 annually.

County commissioners were unable in 2009 to open both county-owned pools in Xenia and Fairborn because of budget constraints. The 2010 budget does not provide funding for the pools.

Howard Poston, county administrator, said the facilities lose a combined $100,000 each year they operate and the county doesn’t have the money to subsidize those loses.

Pete Bales, Fairborn park director, said the pool is more than 30 years old and coming close to the end of its life span. With both the county and city unable to fund operations, leaders decided demolition was their best option.

“The bottom line is it didn’t look promising those pools would ever reopen,” he said.

The Fairborn pool, inside Community Park and near Interstate 675, is “prime recreational real estate,” Bales said, that is “a great opportunity for a recreational amenity of some short.”

Demolishing the 50-meter lap pool and nearby bath house is expected to cost about $100,000, Bales said.

The county has agreed to put up $50,000, said Commissioner Marilyn Reid. When the work to demolish the Fairborn facility will begin or the fate of the Xenia pool near the Greene County Fairgrounds is unclear.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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