By John Estridge
While the dirt, people were turning with new shovels, was not meant for planting, officials said roots run deep at the Heap Memorial Pool, which will be renamed the Heap Hofer Aquatic Center when it opens up in 2021.
Friday morning, July 10, officials and residents met at the pool site for an official groundbreaking ceremony.
“Most of the people who served on the committee had grass roots,” Beth Foster, head of the Heap Hofer Aquatic Center Committee, said. “In other words, we spent our childhood down here, and then, we spent our adulthood here with our children.”
The Heap Hofer Aquatic Center Committee has been in charge of an amazing fundraising effort, bringing in about $2.5 million.
And two of the members, Foster and Mike Froman, had parents who served on the original committee concerning the Heap Memorial Pool about 60 years ago.
Brookville Town Council President Mike Biltz, who also served on the aquatic committee, opened the day’s remarks talking about his ties to the pool.
He said he remembered taking swimming lessons there, even remembering who he sat by while taking instruction. Biltz later became a lifeguard at the pool, then assistant manager and manager as he worked his way through college.
After Heap Memorial Pool was constructed, Biltz said Brookville High School had a swim team.
“We traveled to different towns, Batesville, Greendale and places like that, and we had swimming meets,” Biltz said. “We were new, and they had pools a long time before we did so we weren’t very good. In all the years, we won only two or three meets, but we had a really good time.”
Biltz said swimming remains his favorite sport.
After the remarks, different groups walked into what had been the baby pool but is now a place of dirt and rocks as the demolition has already started.
Town council members along with some construction personnel took part in the first photo session. That was followed by the committee and then board members from Franklin County Community Foundation and Brookville Foundation, as each gave money to the project.
Shelly Lunsford, FCCF director, handled the money for the committee, which Foster said was an extremely appreciated effort on Lunsford’s part.
Opening day for the new aquatic center is set for 2021’s late spring/early summer.
The Town of Brookville is going to add another $1.2 million for the effort for a combined $3.7 million price tag. When finished, the aquatic center will feature a family slide, a big slide and three tipping buckets in the shallow water.
It will also have a walk-in entry to the pool to make it more accommodating.
The Heap Memorial Pool was forced to shut down at the beginning of the 2016 season due to a huge leak that was discovered the previous year. A consultant, hired by the town, said the money needed to fix the leak would just be a temporary fix due to the pool’s age. The consultant advised either to completely shut down the pool and not have a pool for the town and the county or plan to build a new one.
With that information, the committee sprang into action. The committee members did not go into the operation blindly. They hired a consultant, through grants obtained by the town, to see if it was practical to raise that much money in this county and then the consultant also gave them tips for fundraising efforts.
After that, the committee members worked tirelessly to get the needed money. Foster said it was not an easy journey, but committee members were always able to shoulder on and get over the small hills in their path.
Committee members are: Foster, Mike Froman, Beth Froman Brown, Biltz, Lunsford, Brian Harpring, Geannie Hensel and Yvonne Wells.
Town council members through this process have been: Biltz, Sam Schuck, Curtis Ward, Darrel Flaspohler, Eric Johnson and Catherine Pelsor.
Council members, as well as the town manager Tim Ripperger and clerk/treasurer Gina Gillmanm have been very helpful through this process, according to Biltz and Foster.
Biltz gave accolades to Harold and Edna Heap, whose beneficence made the Heap Memorial Pool possible.
“Without their foresight, none of this would have happened,” Biltz said. “They were huge donors to this pool as was the Town of Brookville. And it is with their help that this can carry on to another time.”
Then, Biltz said, while those present at the groundbreaking hold many fond memories of the Heap Memorial Pool, it is time to build something that generations can embrace and remember.
“I have very fond memories (of the pool),” Biltz said. “And today, we can start making memories for a new generation. And I hope that they enjoy it.”