The Town of North Hempstead approved funding for $900,000 in renovations to the Clinton G. Martin kiddie pool at its board meeting on Tues., Feb. 10.
According to the resolution, the town will fund the pool renovations – a liner installation to prevent leakage – and other capital improvements to the park through bonds totaling $1,310,000.
The New Hyde Park Park District will be replacing the park’s wasteline and resurfacing tennis courts for pickleball, costing $160,000 and $250,000, respectively.
“After consultation with two engineers, they said this would be the most permanent solution to stop the leaks that we experience every year,” Commissioner of Parks & Recreation Kelly Gillen said at the board meeting. “The pool opened with a lot of issues, and we’ve been doing our best to maintain it, but we’re at the point where we need to think of a more permanent solution.”
She said the pool’s problems have persisted since it was built, and after renovations in 2018, the leakage problems persisted.
Gillen said the leaks have been wasting water and costing the town in utility bills as well as around $17,000 per year in repairs to patch small leaks.
She said the liner they plan to install will be a more permanent solution than previous patches for leaks in the pool floor and lights. She said the liner in the big pool has held and does not have major leaks, but small wear and tear will be addressed.
Councilman Yaron Levy, who represents the 5th District, asked Gillen if there was possible recourse for the original renovation contractor.
“I believe it may have gone to litigation,” Rich Nicolello, the town attorney, said. He added that the matter was resolved. “Whatever recourse we had against that contractor is long since gone.”
The project will be funded with serial bonds, a collection of small bonds that the resolution says will be limited to 15 years, the expected lifespan of the project.
