The Downers Grove Park District has agreed to try and give residents an opportunity to swim closer to home again next year by working on another deal with Maple Hill.
Karen Martisek, president of Maple Hill Pool’s Board of Directors, said the board is in the process of planning for 2010 and requested the Park Board vote on a renewed partnership with Maple Hill.
“I was hoping you would approve us again, and we could sit down and we could work on this after,” Martisek said at the park district board meeting Thursday. “My board is leery about moving ahead until we have an answer from you.”
The agreement between Maple Hill and the Park District last year allowed nonpool members to pay a $1 daily fee to use the private pool, 5605 Belmont Road, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Without the agreement, Maple Hill would have had to raise its dues and in 2011, the pool might have had to close, Martisek said.
Park District Administrator Dan Cermak said in a previous interview that the Park District would pay $70,000 to the private swimming pool to help defer the cost.
On Thursday, the Park Board unanimously approved to support the pool at an amount not exceeding $60,000 for another contract with Maple Hill Recreation Corp. in 2010.
The Park Board was cautious about committing because usage was lower this summer than board members had anticipated for the first year agreement with Maple Hill. A survey of residents was not given to receive positive or negative results.
Sandy Pfundheller, Park District director of recreation, said weather played a big factor in the use of the pool this summer, and the district has three other area pools residents can go to which are more contemporary.
“There were some restrictions that Maple had in place which the community doesn’t have at other places like having an adult with anyone 17 and under,” Pfundheller said. “We heard that from the public.”
But a positive comment Pfundheller said residents mentioned was the convienince of being able to purchase pool passes online.
“The ease of getting the passes people appreciated,” Pfundheller said.
Martisek said if there is some way to restructure hours or days to generate more customers, Maple Hill would be eager to work something out.
Details for Park District approval are still being worked out by staff and are expected to be seen by the first week in December.
