The closure of the Sherwood Elementary School pool in Saginaw Township is set to end with a splash of state funding. According to ABC12, the Saginaw Township Community Schools are due to receive a $1.9 million grant from the state budget, a lifeline for the pool that has been out of commission since February 2020 due to structural woes and a nonfunctional dehumidification system.
Officials were compelled to permanently close the decades-old facility when continued operation threatened to adversely impact the integrity of the building. Moreover, the pool's distinct accommodation of warmer temperatures, specifically above 86 degrees, rendered it a singular source of comfort and accessibility in the region, particularly for children learning to swim and older adults managing arthritis. The restoration has been long awaited, with community programs spanning from swimming lessons to specialized exercise sessions on pause for over two years. These activities once served hundreds annually, per details shared by a WNEM report.
The school district, facing a dilemma as operational budgets couldn't lawfully allocate for repairs of non-instructional assets, pitched the distress to State Rep. Amos O'Neal. The representative, recognizing the intrinsic value of the pool to the Saginaw enclave, has seemingly swayed state budget approvals in favor of the community asset. The tranche of funds, pending Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's signature, is earmarked to revitalize the beloved aquatic center by fall, as indicated in statements obtained by MLive.
In detailing the pool's multifaceted role, Steve Elliott, director of community services at the district, explained, "This isn’t just a pool for the kids that go to school there. It’s truly for the community." Alongside a much-needed dehumidification unit, substantial structural repairs are en route; particularly significant given the disheartening discovery of black mold within the establishment. Elliott conveyed optimism that post-funding the project could conclude before the end of 2025, potentially restoring the pool's vital role in community cohesion and health sooner rather than later.
There is a general anticipation for the pool's gates to reopen, to reanimate the once vibrant space, and to reenlist a tangible sense of community investment, stitched into the very fabric of Saginaw Township Community Schools. As Elliott told MLive, the institution aims to truly fulfill the 'Community' in its moniker, and the impending renovations are a clear sign that state and local advocates have committed to that responsibility as well.
