GROVES — A cost estimate to bring Groves’ aging pool up to date comes in at near $200,000.

The public pool, located in Chris Roark Lion’s Park, 6200 Jackson, is 60 years old and until a few years ago was operated by the Groves Pool Association. For the last three summers the YMCA of Southeast Texas-Port Arthur branch has operated the pool where the main usage comes from YMCA programs, day cares, summer recreation programs and pool parties.

The city receives no real monetary gain from the pool and the YMCA foots insurance, which comes in at around $4,000.

City Manager D. Sosa gave councilmembers on Monday a list of needed repairs: saw cut the decking to install new plumbing, saw cut and demolish pool shell where it is cracked 2-foot wide, remove all tile and coping, blast and remove paint form shell, demolish pump house and build new 15 X 20 foot pump house out of block, spray top of pool with gunite to get rid of waveless draining, install new coping and tile with depth markers, replaster pool with quartz (seven year warranty), and decking work.

“The filters and motor are in fairly good shape,” Sosa said.

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Rasa asked how the $200,000 would impact yearly maintenance to which Sosa said, “not much.”

“It’s like dropping a new engine in a car you still have to have an oil change,” Sosa said, adding that no preventative maintenance has been performed in some time.

Rasa then asked if nothing is done, what is the drop dead date on the pool’s life expectancy. With a pool built in the mid-1950’s and with so many needed repairs there would likely be a recommendation to close the pool, Sosa answered.

“The pool is not a money maker but more of a quality of life matter,” Sosa said.

Should it be decided at a late date to close the pool there would be a cost factor to remove plumbing, pump house, electrical and more.

Sosa explained there is no hard timetable for a decision from council and that discussion will likely continue. He hopes to revisit the issue by the beginning of the new year.

Councilmembers also discussed future recreational improvements to city park property during Monday’s meeting.

In 2006, voters in Groves granted the city the ability to sell all or portions of Lindenmeyer Park, 32^nd Street and Main Avenue near Texas 73. Usage of the original 10.87 acre park had dwindled through the years and the sale of the land benefitted several nearby businesses. Small sections of the park had been sold off in 2008 and 2010 with the latest sale earlier this year.

In the summer city leaders struck an agreement with Port Neches-Groves Independent School District allowing the public use of vacant property adjacent to all PN-GISD schools in Groves for recreational purposes.

The agreement benefits both the city and school district where the city pays for materials for items such as backstops and benches and students within the district would construct the items.

Councilmember Kyle Hollier provided ideas to create a galvanized pavilion and paved areas at Lion’s Park where the annual Groves Pecan Festival is held.

No decision was made on either the pool or parks issues as it was for discussion.

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