Our family visited Yreka in May, 2013 and came across a citizen memorial plaque at the Ringe Memorial Pool dedicated to the memory of a couple, Henry and Nellie Ringe, for who this pool is named after. After doing a little online research for the family, I discovered two online articles mentioning the tough times this pool is facing, financially, and published last year. The first online article is titled
Future looks grim for Ringe Pool and reads:
Posted Apr. 12, 2013: YREKA – The Ringe Pool, a city of Yreka recreation facility, has been the source of summertime family fun since it opened in 1962. Now, for the first time in years, resources are so slim that there are currently no plans for swim teams this summer. In the face of rising maintenance and repair costs, stakeholders are scrambling to establish a long-term plan to prevent its closure.
"The reality is, this is an older pool," said Yreka City Manager Steve Baker. "Given the cost of repairs, at some point, a problem could arise that may not be economically feasible to fix. Maintenance and operating costs are higher than they would be with a newer facility."
Baker noted that this year, the pool needs a new chlorinator and pool liner. Last year, the city paid out $10,000 for new hot water heaters in addition to its $32,500 annual contribution for operating and maintenance costs.
"Nobody wants to be the one that closes down the pool but at the same time that may be the outcome if there is not a long-term plan," said Baker.
In 2009, the Ringe Pool maintenance and operating costs prompted the city to consider its closure. In an effort to prevent the pool from becoming defunct, a group of citizens came together to form Yreka Splash, a nonprofit organization that began coordinating with the Yreka High School (YHS) swim team and managing the pool during the summer months.
"Yreka Splash is the reason the pool is still open at this point," said Baker.
According to Yreka Splash board president and former swim coach Jason Darrow, who helped organize the nonprofit organization, the pool operates on swim fees and donations. This is in addition to the city's annual contributions, which are in the $30,000 range.
Darrow said last year, Yreka Splash absorbed the cost of the YHS swim team's pool use due to the school district's financial limitations. He noted that a small group of Yreka Splash volunteers operated the pool from May through October. They carried out duties pertaining to the YHS swim team, held swim lessons and ran the snack shack.
He said Yreka High School was only able to pay $3,000 for the swim team's use of the pool for the season, although it costs $12,000 per season to accommodate the YHS swim team.
"Yreka Splash cannot continue to do this," said Darrow. "There would not have been a summer swim team program at all last summer if Yreka Splash had not volunteered to do it. We absorbed the financial responsibility and it was way too much."
Baker said representatives from the city, Siskiyou Family YMCA and YHS have been meeting regularly to identify a long-term plan to sustain Ringe Pool.
He asserted that the facility will need significant renovations and replacement of expensive pieces of equipment in order to minimize maintenance costs during the years to come.
"The question is, 'How far do you go?'" said Baker. He noted that major repairs could cost millions of dollars.
Darrow maintained that repairs will cost over $1 million and standard annual operating and maintenance costs will be around $100,000. He said he is hopeful that matching grants will fund some of the major improvement projects and donations will be used to match the grants.
As stakeholders attempt to identify a long-term plan that includes a steady funding source, Darrow noted that Yreka Splash invites groups to step forward and form independent swim teams.
YHS Athletic Director Kevin Velarde said YHS will only have a swim team this year if community support and fundraising for Yreka Splash generates enough funds to pay for the program, as the athletic program's budget cannot sustain it.
"The district cannot carry the cost of upgrading and maintaining a community pool. Even the cost associated with sole use during the fall sport season has become prohibitive," said Velarde. "Without fundraising sources, the YHS swim program is going to dissolve."
Velarde noted that several years ago, YHS contributed a significant amount of money to Ringe Pool with the understanding of a long-term plan for improvements.
"We are in no position to offer another infusion of funds to make only limited facility upgrades," said Velarde.
However, he stated that he is hopeful the community will step forward and be a part of the solution. He noted that some members of the YHS swim team began swimming at Ringe Pool before they could even walk.
"We have a group of swimmers who perform well at the high school level … This group of athletes loves swimming and they have found success at the summer Yreka Swim Team level competing in both Oregon and northern California."
In addition, Velarde said participation in the swim team enhances students' confidence and overall high school experience.
"These athletes are passionate about what they do. They also develop many of the skills needed to help pay for college as lifeguards," said Velarde.
As the fate of Ringe Pool hangs in the balance, pool supporters ask the community to help identify and implement a long-term plan for its sustainability.
"The number of people willing to jump in and help raise money and support Yreka Splash needs to expand," said Velarde.
Those who wish to get involved by joining Yreka Splash and volunteering to help raise funds are invited to a meeting this Monday, April 15 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Siskiyou County Economic Development Council office at 1512 S. Oregon St. in Yreka.
The Yreka City Council will consider the approval of its annual $32,500 Ringe Pool contribution for the 2013-14 Fiscal Year at its next regular meeting on April 18.
The second online article reads:
Yreka council makes financial contribution to Ringe Pool
Posted Apr. 22, 2013: As Yreka’s 51-year-old Ringe Pool slowly devolves into a state of dilapidation, the Yreka City Council voted unanimously at its regular meeting last Thursday to approve its annual $32,500 contribution to Yreka Splash for the pool’s operating costs during the upcoming swim season.
From June 1 to Aug. 9, Yreka Splash will provide the daily public swim, evening public swim, daily lap swim, swim lessons, water aerobics, Mom & Me program and masters swim time. Splash members will also provide opportunities for events and pool time for the Yreka High School (YHS) swim team if fundraising efforts raise enough money to finance the swim team’s use of the pool for the season.
YHS Athletic Director Kevin Velarde told the Daily News that parents have stepped forward with fundraising plans for the upcoming swim team season, although he is still unsure whether there will be a swim team this year.
At the meeting, council member Bryan Foster made a point of noting he may not support a city contribution next year unless stakeholders devise a long-term plan to establish a funding source for imminent capital improvement projects.
“I don’t want to keep putting a band aid on the problem,” commented Foster.
“At some point you are looking at a lot of money to fix that pool,” council member Rob Bicego said. He added that during future budget cycles, the city may be asked to pay for repairs on a major piece of equipment.
“Yreka Splash will not be asking for $30,000; they will be asking for $150,000. That year is going to come any year now and we are lucky we did not see it this year,” Bicego stated.
While professional estimates for capital improvement projects have not been obtained, Yreka Splash president Jason Darrow told the Daily News he anticipates major infrastructure repairs and replacements will cost over $1 million – just to improve the pool enough to minimize maintenance costs.
On behalf of Yreka Splash, Darrow told the council that the community must step forward to help identify a long-term funding source for the pool.
Yreka Splash is a nonprofit organization that formed in 2009 when the city nearly closed Ringe Pool due to operating costs. Yreka Splash manages and operates the pool for the city during the swim season.
Darrow told the council that Yreka Splash is a small group, and does not have the resources to fund improvement projects at the pool without additional help from the community. Furthermore, he said it is not incumbent on the city or the nonprofit to fix this problem. Rather, it will take a “community-based solution.”
“There is a perception that if a group is working for something, it is handled. But it cannot be a small group that handles this; it has to be the whole community,” said Darrow. “This is a crisis and everybody has to step up.”
Darrow said Yreka Splash recently received an anonymous $5,000 donation for the pool, which he described as “very, very nice.” He also noted that community members are stepping up to offer help upon learning of the seriousness of the situation.
In a letter he wrote to the council, Darrow stated that in the near future, the pool liner needs to be re-coated and the facility needs a new chlorinator. He also noted that the tarps to retain heat are in tatters, the gutters are insufficient to provide current standards of circulation, the deck is buckled in numerous areas, the bathrooms are not in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and the roof leaks.
Mayor David Simmen praised Darrow and Yreka Splash for their dedication to keeping the pool operational.
“We will do everything in our power to continue to offer programs at the facility until a solution presents itself or the pool reaches a state from which there is no further recovery,” Darrow stated in his letter to the council.