Storm-struck Pierce City gets relief from pool

PIERCE CITY, Mo. -- Some held their nose or a friend's hand. Others just wanted to get it over quickly and jumped solo.

But all who plunged into the Pierce City Pool had the same initial reaction: "It's cold."

While summer does not officially begin for the rest of the country until June 21, it got underway in Pierce City at 1:27 p.m. Wednesday, when the first children passed through the pool gates.

The opening of the swimming pool on the southern edge of the tornado-ravaged town ended weeks of speculation over whether Pierce City could afford to operate the facility.

The board of aldermen earlier decided there was no reasonable way the city could open the pool after a May 4 tornado pummeled the city's downtown and wiped out 41 of the 60 businesses the town relied on for tax money.

The pool leaked about 1.5 million gallons of water a month last summer, draining some $13,000 from the town's annual budget. Finances were already expected to be stretched this summer as the town rebuilds a water and sewer system, replaces toppled street lights and tallies still-unknown costs of cleaning up.

"We were all sad because with everything else that was going on, there was no way the city could afford the pool," Kristen Thompson said. "There's really not much for many of these kids to do besides come to the pool."

Thompson and Jill Kaiser, who co-manage the pool, expected the worst when they went to the aldermen's May 19 meeting.

Promise from Holden

But before the night was over, they had a $5,000 check from Shelter Insurance Cos. and a promise for the same amount from Gov. Bob Holden.

The state Department of Economic Development agreed to issue tax credits to secure $5,000 in private contributions to fix the leaky swimming pool after Holden challenged his administration to help. The St. Louis Cardinals' community foundation, Cardinal Care, has since agreed to give Pierce City a grant in that amount.

In addition, Pierce City Schools received a $5,000 grant to purchase season swimming passes for summer school students.

"A lot of people in town have a lot of cleanup work to do this summer, so they are happy the kids have a safe place to go," Mayor Mark Peters said.

The first tankers of water, donated by neighboring Monett, arrived Thursday night. But a leaking filtration tank, rain and cool temperatures delayed the opening.

"It seems like every where I go, the big question is, 'Is the pool open yet,"' Kaiser said.

A cloudy sky and temperatures in the 70s did not deter children from plunging into cold water on Wednesday.

"I don't have a thermometer yet, so I don't know how cold it is -- but it wouldn't matter," Thompson said. "These kids aren't worried about that."

Brittany Young, 9, and Jordan Saffer, 10, confirmed water temperature was of little concern. Both have older siblings who are life guards at the pool.

"Yeah, I'm glad it's open," Jordan said. "I was thinking that I might not get to swim here this summer."

Brittany, who was swaddled in a floral beach towel, made a half-dozen dives into the water before taking a break.

"It's cold, but I don't really care. I'm going to swim some more," she said.

Meanwhile, leaders in the town of 1,400 were glad children now have an activity to distract them from the piles of rubble piled along many streets.

"It's starting to feel like summer now," Kaiser said as she prepared for the first swimmers. "In just a little bit there will be a bunch of blue-lipped kids running around."