Newburgh Breaks Ground on Splash Pad

44news reporter marisa patwa gives us a peak at the project.

"i took diving lessons here."

Newburgh town council member allyson claybourn has fond memories of the newburgh community pool.... "this is the park that i came too.

This is the pool i came too to swim with my friends."

The pool was shutdown in 2018 due to lack of revenue -- the town council and parks board later devised a three phase plan for the park -- and they kicked things off with the installation of a splash pad "we want to do something for 52 weeks a year.

We want something for every age group in this park.

And a splash park is a sustainable way to give some heat relief to little ones.

We expect our services to grow out here."

But there are mixed feelings from the community about whether installing a new splash pad instead of a pool is the right move for the town.

"i love the fact that they are upgrading the park.

And trying to make it nice.

And i think a lot of kids will have fun when the splash park's so i'm thrilled that they're doing the upgrades on the park."

"we really need to have some kind of pool for the kids up here.

But i do like the idea that if they have to demolish it, that at least we'll make good use of it and the splash park will certainly be used."

And the town council understands the community's desire for a pool.

"it's really important for all of the kids in our community to have some place like that in the summer where they can go for heat relief and learn to swim."

The pool is scheduled to be demolished in two weeks while the town leaders hope to secure private grant funding for a pool in the future.

Reporting in newburgh marisa patwa 44news.