NEW CASTLE, Pa. (WKBN) – New Castle residents want to bring back the Cascade Park Pool.
It was in the works of being restored up until 2020, but then it stopped. It’s been part of the New Castle community for 150 years.
Now, the pool has been vacant and untouched for over two years.
United Way of Lawrence County asked city council in 2020 for a lease extension, but it was not passed.
“We needed to have a longer lease in order to acquire funding for the project from other corporations and grants,” says Gayle Young from United Way of Lawrence County.
At the time, city council wanted more funding in order to extend the lease. The agency is asking for a 20-year extension.
United Way isn’t alone. Many residents want to see the restoration project restarted.
A petition is making its rounds to ask city council to find a way to be able to reopen the pool at Cascade Park.
Young says the younger generation is the one leading the charge.
“The young people have been working hard getting the petitions together,” she says.
Mayor Chris Frye is in support of the pool being reopened. He says that the city benefits from United Way taking the lead in the project and its funding.
“Those are the type of public partnerships that I believe benefit the entire community, especially those who want to see a public pool back in the city,” Frye says.
Young says the pool’s restoration would be a great social asset to the community.
The online petition already has nearly 1,000 signatures.
The plans have been drawn up and some work was already done, but there’s no word on when the petition will be brought up to city council.