Members of the East Liverpool City Hospital Auxiliary, The Thompson Park Pool and city administration gather for a check presentation to ensure the Thompson Park Pool opens for the season. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

EAST LIVERPOOL — When the Thompson Park Pool had concerns over its ability to open last year due to the funding previously provided by Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services no longer being available, the community and the East Liverpool City Hospital Auxiliary stepped up to donate the funds needed.

Several businesses last year along with residents contributed to the donations, but it wasn’t enough. Then the East Liverpool City Hospital Auxiliary announced they were donating $35,000, which was enough to provide family pool passes for students in the East Liverpool City School District.

The East Liverpool City Hospital Auxiliary is again this year donating $35,000 to fund the pool for summer 2025.

“The donation comes at a critical time, as funding previously provided by the county’s Department of Job and Family Services is no longer available. With the auxiliary’s support, 250 pool passes will be distributed to East Liverpool middle school students, providing safe and healthy recreational opportunities throughout the summer months,” a media release provided by the East Liverpool City Hospital Auxiliary said.

According to Council Member Brian Kerr it takes approximately $45,000 to $50,000 to run the pool.

“We could’ve done a skeleton schedule, but with this donation we should be able to run full during the week, and weekends, and be open normal times,” Kerr said.

Kerr also noted that he and Council Member Tom Clark made multiple trips to the pool last summer and observed Pool Manager Shane Jones being a good steward with the pool funds such as making a decision to close if there was poor attendance or severe weather instead of opting to ride out the situation.

“They were very conservative with the money, and I want to commend them for that,” Kerr said. “They were very cautious about things. Every time we were up there, if it was raining or something like that, they were closed.”

East Liverpool Mayor Bobby Smith said it cost $40,000 to operate the pool and the year before that it cost $70,000.

Stacy Williams, auxiliary member, noted that this is the 36th year for the Thompson Park Dolphins Swim League. He believes that it is very important for the area youth to have something like this.

“This gives them refuge. This gives the kids a place to be where you don’t have to drive far and they can learn to swim through the Dolphins,” Williams said. “This gives so many opportunities to keep our kids busy and healthy and productive. This is amazing.”

Williams also noted that the pool provides a local place where families can go that is affordable.

“We are thrilled to be able to make this donation to continue to provide an avenue for children to participate in swimming locally,” Williams said. “This organization (the auxiliary) being able to do this, I can’t imagine any better way to spend our money.”

Williams also noted that the pool is vital to the area’s youth.

Jones said the auxiliary’s donations mean a great deal to the pool because it helps the pool get operational and it supports the community and gets the area youth up and active and gives them a place to go and have fun over the summer.

Megan Hoffrichter Hernandez, the auxiliary’s final president and communications person for the East Liverpool City School District, noted that the opening of the pool could be life changing for some of the area kids who don’t have any other enrichment options when school is out and having a place to go could keep them from heading down a wrong direction and keep them out of trouble.

Although the East Liverpool City Hospital Auxiliary hasn’t officially operated since 2020, they have a substantial endowment from years of fundraising and service, the media release said. The organization meets annually to discuss allocating the remaining funds to meaningful community initiatives such as the pool.

“This project is like their legacy,” said Hernandez. “Thompson Park is a gem within our community. The pool is something children can do that’s active. It’s beautiful. I think there is a lot of community support to keep the pool.”

Smith said the $35,000 donation is priceless because it gives youth something else to do beside play on their cell phones. He believes it will give them time to fellowship with friends and can limit trouble they could otherwise get into.

Hernandez also noted in the release that the auxiliary has a history of service to the community which includes, the operation of the hospital’s gift shop and cafe, serving as receptionists and surgical hostesses and fundraising for community projects with luncheons and bazaars. The efforts of the auxiliary helped fund hospital wings, renovations and medical equipment through multiple decades.

“The original mission of the auxiliary was to serve the community and to me this is the perfect project for the auxiliary to support,” Hernandez said. “Even though we don’t have a physical space at the hospital it’s still a mission of the donor fund to serve the people in the community.”

Hernandez also noted the auxiliary could see the immediate need and now there is no worry about if the pool will open.

The pool had previously been managed by the Thompson Park Board and Smith said he would like to see it return to management by the park or form a pool board to manage it. Even with the pool no longer been managed by the park, according to the media release, the auxiliary held a special meeting recently to approve the donation for this year to continue the pool pass program for students in the sixth through eighth grades in the East Liverpool School City School District. It was noted that the pool pass program has been a successful program.

Hernandez noted that keeping the Thompson Park Pool thriving also serves as a fitting tribute to the late Jim Swoger, who passed away earlier this year.

“Swoger, a three-term mayor of East Liverpool, was known for his devotion to the city and personally cared for the pool for 18 years alongside his wife,” Hernandez said.

Smith said the pool would not be opening this year without this donation which provided more than half of the budget needed to operate the pool. He noted that there will need to be additional funds added.

There is still no plan to guarantee funding for the pool next year, Smith said, and he would like to see it absorbed back into the park board which operates with funds from the park levy.

While no official opening date has yet been set for the pool, it is anticipated to open in early June.

Both monetary and service donations are still being accepted to help with pool operations.

Kerr noted that there is a need for businesses or residents who can assist with service work such as plumbing, electrical, building or landscaping who is willing to offer their services to help with the pool.

Monetary donations can be made by check payable to the City of East Liverpool with pool fund on the memo line.

For information about the Thompson Park Pool or how to contribute, contact East Liverpool City Hall at 330-385-3381.