NEW BUBBLE ARRIVES FOR POOL; SWIMS SET TO RESUME IN A WEEK

Swimmers take heart, the new bubble has arrived and is set to be inflated today.

After several delays, the Central municipal swimming pool likely will open next week with its new cover, a new paint job and several other improvements, said Randy Barnhouse, aquatics coordinator.

If everything goes as planned, the bubble will be inflated this morning. The pool apparatuses diving boards, guard chairs, hand rails then will be reinstalled.

"After that, we start filling the pool. That will take about 36 hours," Barnhouse said. "It takes half a million gallons."

He hopes to open the pool for public swims in about a week.

The bubble initially was expected to be installed by October. A delay in securing a contract with the pool manufacturer caused the first hold up.

The manufacturer, Thermo-Flex Inc. of Salina, Kan., hoped to deliver the bubble by late October, but delays in fabrication postponed delivery until this week.

The bubble and a new heater for the pool facility will cost about $120,000. The cover includes a "Tedlar" coating, which is expected to preserve the structure for 10-15 years.

Barnhouse said crews took advantage of the delays and have repainted the bath houses and done other maintenance.

"When the pool opens it will be about as nice as it was when it was brand new," he said.

The new bubble will improve the swimming environment with better light and heat.

"Part of the bubble is translucent," Barnhouse said, "About an 80 by 80-foot area allows the light to come through. That will really brighten things up."

"With the new heater, it will be lot warmer in here and that will help with the water temperature."

The new bubble also has a cargo door that will enable large items to be brought into the pool area if necessary. Barnhouse said the exterior of the new cover is even supposed to be more resistant to stains.

"We will be planning a grand opening to get the public in here to see what they've got," Barnhouse said. "On that night we will offer different sports like water volleyball, water basketball, inner tube water polo.

"If we get some interest, I'd like to organize some leagues this winter," he added. "People will know they can come, swim, be comfortable and have something fun to do."

Barnhouse said he hopes the activities will help boost attendance at the pool, which he said doesn't get sufficient use in the winter when it's most expensive to operate the facility.

Barnhouse has planned a special session of swimming lessons Nov. 30-Dec. 17. "We will offer water babies, preschool, youth, adult, basic water safety, emergency water safety and lifeguard training," he said.

For information, call the recreation office at 335-5421 or Barnhouse at 335-4040.

Barnhouse acknowledged that the delays have caused some inconveniences. Members of Cape Girardeau Central High's swim team have been practicing at Parker Pool on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Other swimmers also have been forced to put their activities on hold.

"The early bird swimmers and noon swimmers have been affected," he said. "We have quite a crowd in here of people who swim laps for fitness. I usually have 30 people waiting at the door at 5:30 a.m. I know they have really missed it."

He added that after years of free swim time, swimmers this year had to pay a fee during the fitness hours. "Everyone who bought those passes, we sent a free coupon book a little something to try to make up for the inconvenience," Barnhouse said.