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It's expected to be open to public by Aug. 11

The city began filling McKinley Pool with water Monday and it's expected to open to the public no later that next Monday.

"It could possibly be open by this weekend, but no later, we'll say, than Monday," said Chris Murphy, the city's public service director.

The first day for students in city schools for the new school year is Aug. 20.

He said it should take no more than 24 hours to fill the pool, but then rust and other impurities all have to be filtered out and the chemicals that are being added balanced out. Lastly, the city Health Department has to inspect it and approve it.

The pool was open all last summer, but Murphy said an inspection this past spring revealed the concrete was chipped and caulking in some seams was causing leaks.

"There was quiet a bit of deterioration," he said.

The cost of refurbishing the pool was roughly $50,000, Murphy said. The money came from the city's Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) fund.

Murphy said Portsmouth City Council was late appropriating the CIP money.

"That put us behind right off,' He said. "Once the money was appropriated, we advertised for bids, opened them, and awarded the contract. Construction didn't really start until early July."

The contract went to Malone Construction Co. of Portsmouth.

"Malone submitted the lowest of three bids received. The other two were from Columbus contractors," Murphy said.

"The contractor had to have a few days to get his equipment, crews and materials in there," he said. "They went in and poured a new bottom and sides, sealed it with two coats of epoxy, then gave it a full coat of paint."

G. SAM PIATT can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 236.