HOPKINS, S.C. — Several local pools around Richland County have opened for the start of summer, but the one that serves the Hopkins area will stay closed.
Families in the area say they are disappointed by the Hopkins Park pool closure and want to see better in the future.
Luke McGowan says his sons are just like any other kids, hoping to cool off this summer.
“Last year we had to take them to Eastover, too, when I think about it," McGowan said. "So, you know they've had a whole year that they knew they needed to fix the pool."
The Richland County Recreation Commission announced the Hopkins Park pool being closed for the season on social media last Friday. The post explained that the pool closure was due to safety concerns.
On Tuesday, News 19 spoke with Richland County Recreation Commission Interim Director Tameka Williams, who said the pool has become a growing problem.
“The age of the pool has reached its life expectancy. We're patching up cracks. We have major water loss every day, where we're losing between 500 and 1,000 gallons a day," Williams said. "And the bowl of the pool, we've noticed has shifted. The condition of the facility has been deemed not safe anymore."
The Recreation Commission is asking that people avoid the Hopkins pool and maybe try another instead.
“The closest facility that we own nearby would be the one in Eastover," Williams said.
The Eastover pool is set to open on June 7 at 1 p.m. And the pool will be open every Wednesday through Saturday until 6 p.m.
The Recreation Commission says fixing the Hopkins pool is now at the top of their list of projects. Whenever they receive their funding for the year, they will evaluate how much they will be able to put toward a new pool.