PORT TOWNSEND — The reopening of Mountain View Pool, which was scheduled for 3 p.m. today, has been delayed because a valve seal failed.
Tours of the facility will be provided between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. today, but it is not known when the pool will reopen.
The seal failed during testing Wednesday night, said pool manager Anji Scalf, who had been gearing up for a grand reopening pool party this afternoon to celebrate the completion of $170,000 in repairs.
“This is frustrating,” City Manager David Timmons said.
“We fix one thing, and another breaks.”
The 50-year-old pool at 1925 Blaine St., the only public swimming pool in Port Townsend, was closed in November for renovations.
“We apologize for the inconvenience,” the city says on its website at www.cityofpt.us while issuing an invitation to tour the renovated pool.
“Updates will be posted online and on pool voice mail” at 360-385-7665, the website says.
The pool party planned today was to include an open community swim and other activities as well as tours.
Timmons said the valve, which is essential for the operation of the pool, must be ordered from the manufacturer since the part is not available locally and the city did not have a spare.
It will add an additional $1,500 or $2,000 to the repair costs, Timmons said.
Both Scalf and Timmons said the repair will take at least a week from when the part is received.
After delivery and installation, a health inspection will occur, and the water flow system must be on for at least a day before people can swim, Scalf said.
“I’m sad about this,” Scalf said.
“I haven’t been able to swim for five months.”
Pool repairs that have been completed included installation of a new liner, replacement of the air-handling system and new lighting.
Timmons said these repairs are only part of what needs to be upgraded at the aging pool.
“We are anxious to get the pool reopened, but there are a lot of other systems that could fail,” he said.
Timmons said the city doesn’t have the money available to pre-emptively fix all the old components, so repairs tend to be done when something breaks.
There is some good news: Timmons said the city just received approval for a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce for energy upgrades at the Mountain View Commons, allowing for the replacement of the pool’s ventilation system.
For more information, phone the pool or visit the city website.
Email Scalf at ascalf@cityofpt.us to be added to the pool email list.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
