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Letter to the editor from Fin and Fit Crookston

Below is a letter to the editor from Fin and Fit

With improved management, attention to detail, and a dependable schedule for hours of operation, interest in and usage of the Crookston Community Pool greatly increased in 2024 and continues to do so as 2025 gets underway.

In September of 2024, because of budget deficits, City Leadership and City Council members were faced with a financial crisis. A difficult decision had to be made…a vote was taken, resulting in the closure of the pool. But after lengthy discussions at the city council meetings, an online and door-to-door petition drive, a survey, emails, and numerous other meetings and conversations, the City Leadership and the majority of the City Council voted to leave the pool in operation.

The pool was a hot-button issue and created a challenge. However, the right decision to keep the pool operational is much appreciated by MANY because it is very important to the continued growth, sustainability, and attraction of, and to, Crookston.

A big concern of many of the city council members, and rightfully so, since the COVID crisis, has been the pool’s day-to-day operational management, along with the lack of dependability of hours of operation. Those concerns have been taken seriously by the Parks and Rec management and continue to be closely worked on by committed staff:

Jake Solberg, Crookston Parks and Rec Director

Andrea Prudhomme, Administrative Assistant

Scott Butt, Parks and Rec Supervisor

Amanda Abrahamson, Lifeguard Supervisor

Gabe Genereux, Custodian

Hours of pool operation have expanded…and except for inclement weather, the pool is open when it is scheduled to be open.

On January 20th, Martin Luther King Day, instead of the pool being closed, it was open. On a cold January winter day, there were over 100 people who used the pool. Many of them were children that attended the afternoon open swim. From a revenue standpoint, the cost of admission averages about $5 per user. So, the revenue for that day would have been about $500+ (perhaps more if patrons were paying the out-of-town fee). Because of the now close attention to the collection of fees, this revenue helps offset lifeguard wages for the day, the percentage of other pool personnel wages, and more.

Because January is the coldest month of the year, it might be expected pool usage would have been down. However, it was not. There were approximately 1,200 usages for the month. Each user of the pool now signs in and the method of their payment is recorded.

Revenue is consistently collected, records are being kept, and a concerted effort is being made to operate in a professional and reliable manner. The Parks and Rec Dept has increased publicity by utilizing multiple methods and sources of communication and promotion, bringing awareness and attention to the pool schedule. Businesses and organizations are reaching out to offer sponsorship of open swim hours…the American Legion, DAV, and VFW will be sponsoring the open swim on Saturday, February 8, from 1:00 – 4:30.

Swimming lessons are filling up…and for 3 weeks in March, certain grades at Crookston Highland School children will be using the pool.

What does all this activity at the pool do for the Crookston community? People at the pool is impactful because it not only demonstrates the use of the pool (a concern of the City Council, supporters and taxpayers) it also supports Crookston businesses, shopping venues, restaurants, gas stations and more.

Results of a study presented to the Crookston City Council on 2/3/25 noted in the Local Options Sales Tax Report that 40% of sales in Crookston are derived from non-resident spending. When non-Crookston residents use the pool, then stop to eat at a local restaurant, fill their vehicles with gas, pick up hardware, groceries and multiple misc. items at Crookston businesses, this contributes to that 40% of non-resident spending.

As a reminder, the Crookston Community Pool offers:

8 lanes of a 25-meter pool

A sturdy ramp for safe entrance and easy exit

84-degree water temperature

A dive tank with two diving boards

A spacious, gated patio

Upcoming pool events:

Saturday, February 8, Free Open Swim (sponsored by the American Legion, DAV & VFW)

Saturday, February 16, Free Open Swim (sponsored by Crookston Parks & Rec Dept.)

Monday, February 24, Early Childhood Family Education Swim Night, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 12, Pool A Thon (Fin & Fit Crookston fundraiser)

Should you have any questions about the pool, swimming lessons, or scheduling a pool party, please call Andrea at the Crookston Parks & Rec Department at 218-281-1242.

This article has been respectfully submitted by Fin & Fit Crookston, a 501c3 organization formed in January 2024, for the purpose of promoting awareness of the pool and assisting in efforts to keep the Crookston Community Pool financially sustainable.

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