GRAVETTE — The Pool History

For the first time in 40 years the Gravette swimming pool will not be opened this year.

Age has taken its toll on the pool which was constructed as part of a HUD project that included converting the old high school gymnasium into the Civic Center.

Cost to refurbish the pool to make it useable this year proved to be prohibitive due to the economic downturn which has limited city finances.

Whether the pool can be repaired, painted and properly equipped for next year is unknown.

The pool opened to celebrate the Gravette Day Celebration on August 8, l970. Ray McLaughlin who was pool manager, reported 110 kids splashed in the pool that first August day.

Letters about the pool

Dear Mr. Editor,

My name is Caitlin Davidson and I want to tell you about the Gravette pool closing.

I’m kind of upset and I bet a lot of kids are too. I like the Gravette pool a lot. I had a lot of fun there and I went to a bunch of birthday parties there.

You could have a garage sale and with the money you can fix it with the money. Please work something out!

Caitlin

Dear Mr. Editor,

Here are some more reasons you should reopen the pool. One, think about

Dear Mr. Editor,

Please don’t let them close down the pool because that is the only one of the places to go swim. Thank about the children too and reopen the pool and hurry and get the repairs fixed fast so we can go to the Gravette swimming pool to play, to have fun and just swim to have fun. I’ve been there lots of times until you closed the pool.

Heath

Dear Mr. Editor,

Don’t close the pool. Theeveryone who goes there. Two, pull out fliers if you can’t raise any money. Three, you don’t want kids who have nothing to do. If you reopen the pool all of the kids will be happy!! Think about it.

Elisabeth Hanna

Dear Mr. Editor,

I want to talk about the pool that has been closed. Did you know that my whole family goes there every summer? We have so much fun there! SO please think about the kids playing there!

Robin

P. S. Please open the pool.

pool is where people go to cool down. It also lets people get out of the house. People like diving off the diving board. People love the pool. Think of the people.

Kenton

Dear Mr. Editor,

I want to talk to you about the Gravette pool closing. Why do you have to close the pool? Think about the kids that go there and play at the pool. They love that pool. I love that pool. Please don’t close it next summer!

Tyler Kardynalski

Dear Editor,

I wish the pool would be open because I always go thereinthesummerandwish it could and would be open. I have had a lot of fun. I’m going to miss the pool and I bet my dad would help.

P. S. He’s very good at English and making money and mowing.

Unsigned

Dear Editor,

I think the Boys and Girls Club should open the pool this summer because people won’t have anywhere to swim this summer and I think they should have a donation so that the money they raise can fix the stuff that they need for the pool so that it can open next summer.

Daniel Murray

Dear Mr. Editor,

My name is Tiffany. I want to ask you a question and I hope you will say yes. Will you open the pool please? I used to go to a private pre-K and they went swimming at the pool every summer. They won’t get to this year. They just get to sit and be bored. You have the chance to give them something to do next summer. If you open the pool they need something to do. Please just think of what they have to do this summer. Nothing! Give them something to do please.

Tiffany Bradley

P. S. I like the pool too.

Dear Mr. Editor,

Hi, my name’s Brooke Brasel and I heard that the Gravette swimming pool’s not going to open this year due to lack of money for repairs.

Dear Mr. Editor,

You know I am really mad that you pool people are closing the Gravette Pool. Although I have never been there. I mean, it’s actually pretty mean that you’re doing this. But I understand not working parts are a hard problem. But please keep it open anyway.

Think about all the disappointed and sad faces of the children reading that dreaded sign saying, “Closed” next year. So really, really think about it.

And another thing I am a fish out water. I can not survive without water. And I was going this year and I said that you guys were grawsome. (For the record, that is a mixture between the word great and awesome.) Brianna

Well, I bet you didn’t know but every year the kids at Ms. Evelyn’s Daycare go swimming there every day all summer. So if you don’t open the pool this year they’ll have nothing to do all summer long!

Besides, you can start a donation organization and raise money for the pool so when you raise enough money for the repairs you can fix them!

So please don’t close the pool this summer! Think about the children!

Brooke Brasel

Dear Editor,

I saw the sign on the Gravette Pool that you are going to close the pool. How can you do that? You are going to crush kids’ hearts.

Please don’t close the Gravette pool.

Leo Ramirez

Dear Mr. Editor,

Please don’t let them close down the pool because that is the only one of the places to go swim. Thank about the children too and reopen the pool and hurry and get the repairs fixed fast so we can go to the Gravette swimming pool to play, to haave fun and just swim to have fun. I’ve been there lots of times until you closed the pool.

Heath

Dear Mr. Editor,

Don’t close the pool. The pool is where people

Dear Mr. Editor,

You might want to reopen the Gravette pool because many people have fun there. For example, friends, families, bored people and many other people. My family was going to go this year but now we can’t. Hopefully next year you can get money. That pool looks fun to be in. So, please open it again.

Beranice

Dear Mr. Editor,

Please open the Gravette pool because people who live here do not have a place to swim.

Brok

Dear Mr. Editor,

I, Austin O’Brien, and my fellow classmates hope and pray that the Gravette public pool will reopen so some people can swim this summer and the kids at the Boys and Girls Club can swim and have fun in the water. So you better do it or the kids will find you.

Austin O’Brien

Dear Editor,

That stinks that the pool is closing. The people of Gravette always had parties. That’s bad your closgo to cool down. It also lets people get out of the house. People like diving off the diving board. People love the pool. Think of the people.

Kenton

Dear Mr. Editor,

I want to talk to you about the Gravette pool closing. Why do you have to close the pool? Think about the kids that go there and play at the pool. They love that pool. I love that pool. Please don’t close it next summer!

Tyler Kardynalski

Dear Dodie,

I want to talk about the Gravette Pool closing. It has to open! The kids at Ms. Evelyn’s Pre-School swim there and I used to go there and if the pool people don’t let them swim they will be crushed. I always have my birthday there. So just think about me, a little 9-year-old boy not getting to have his birthday at the place he always has. And think about my friends packing bathing suits when they’re only going to a park! Those are my concerns.

Jake Austin ing the pool. Is it because the diving board’s broken? Hope it opens next year.

Nathan

Dear Mr. Editor,

I’m really sad that the Gravette pool is not going to be open this summer. All the kids at the Boys and Girls Club go there. They all have fun. I mean all the kids. Maybe you should think of having a donation.You can have the schools donate money to help repair the pool. So think about the kids.

Haley Graves

News, Pages 7 on 05/13/2010