Victoria Pool Fundraiser almost here, Sunday, Father's Day, June 19,2011, Noon-3PM.

The key to keeping it cool: Spa State Park officials ready Victoria Pool
Published: Thursday, June 09, 2011

0diggsdigg ShareThis0By LUCIAN McCARTY
lmccarty@saratogian.com

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Spa State Park regional plumber Allan Eddy cleans the bottom of Victoria pool after it was filled recently. The pool is set to open June 25. (ERICA MILLER, emiller@saratogian.com)
SARATOGA SPRINGS — With the dog days of summer coming early this year (before summer, in fact), many people in the city are looking for ways to cool off. Soon, they can employ the same method many Saratogians have for the last century.

The Victoria Pool is full of water already and Spa State Park officials are working through the process of opening it for the season, something that is not as easy as it appears.

The pool takes a week to fill, followed by chemical tests and retests to make sure the pH of the pool is good for swimming and there is no bacteria brewing in the water. This year, park officials decided the pool needed to be painted as well.

“That was another added step,” park manager Michael Greenslade said. And of course, the weather plays a big factor in when all of that process can take place.

“It would have been great to have the pool open for the last day or two,” he said. “But three or four days ago, it was only about 50 degrees.”

He said the opening of the park has been an issue this year because of the weather, with mowing and everything else required in the spring at Spa State Park .

Wednesday night, Greenslade met with Saratoga Springs Mayor Scott Johnson and Save Victoria Pool Society Board Chair Louise Goldstein to discuss some of the collaborative potential for the three.

“This was the first time a city mayor ever met with the park manager regarding the Victoria Pool,” Johnson said. “That surprised me.”

“It was a historic meeting,” said Goldstein, mentioning the three have never sat down around a table together. “It was a great dialogue and I hope it can continue.”

Goldstein said she and her group are constantly trying to get the pool open earlier. “For decades, it opened Memorial Day and that’s what we are pushing for.” Continued...

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At this point, Green-slade said the scheduled date for opening is

June 25, but he hopes to have the facility open earlier. And while he said the meeting was a first for the three of them, he stressed, “We already have a good working relationship with the city,” and he sees Goldstein once or twice a week during the summer and periodically at other times. “She loves the park.”

“They are putting a good foot forward by pursuing what is a treasure of the park,” Johnson said.

The Save Victoria Pool Society is also holding a fundraiser June 19 at the pool to raise money for umbrellas to line it. “They are falling apart,” Goldstein said. She said the umbrellas are $200 apiece because they have to adhere to historic specifications that are consistent with the historic pool.

The event will have food and refreshments and Save Victoria Pool Society is asking for a suggested contribution of $25 for the cause. Goldstein said the group is also seeking musical entertainment for the show.

For more information, call Goldstein at 683-8476 or email vicpool@aol.com.

Those who would like to contribute can make checks payable to NHT for Saratoga State Park and mail it to 64 North St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.