After 48 years serving the residents of Worthington and surrounding towns, the pool operated by the Worthington Swim Club will likely not open this summer due to a lack of funding.
Board member Janet Dimock said that a consistent drop in membership over the last few years has made it impossible to support the maintenance and operation of the pool.
In a letter sent to its members, the swim club board said that membership fees have not kept up with the increasing costs of running the pool and the organization currently has just under $1,300.
Meanwhile, the seasonal cost to run the pool without lifeguards is about $7,500.
“We used to have two lifeguards on duty, lots of kids would go swimming and do different activities there,” Dimock said. “I am not sure why people aren’t swimming as much as they used to, maybe it time constraints, other interests, technology, or maybe they are getting pools at home.”
Dimock said that there was a slight chance that the pool could open this year without any lifeguards, but only if the club got a boost in membership.
“Last year we had 15 family memberships and 13 individual adult memberships. We would have to see at least 20 family memberships and a minimum of 15 individual memberships to open, and that would just help for this year,” Dimock said.
The club would need a deposit of $100 from each membership by May 18 to open this season.
Anyone can be a member of the Worthington Swim Club, and need not be a resident of the town.
Family membership cost $380, while single adults pay $160.
“I can understand why people are reluctant to pay almost $400, but it is expensive to run a pool and memberships are still cheaper than running a pool in your own yard,” Dimock said.
According to Dimock, the pool was built in 1968 after residents formed the Swim Club and raised money.
“There is really nowhere else to swim in Worthington. Some of our long-term members are very upset because they can remember going there as kids,” she said.
Deposits and or donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 293, Worthington, MA 01098.
Painter Fran Kidder’s work will be on display at Meekins Library in Williamsburg from through May 31.
The theme of this show is the Mill River disaster of May 16, 1874.
“I live on that same river and have watched it, listened to it, and painted it over the years,” Kidder said. “But after reading Elizabeth Sharpe’s ‘In the Shadow of the Dam,’ a carefully and beautifully documented account of the flood, I began to think about making art about this tragic event.”
Kidder has been an artist and art teacher for over 30 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Vassar College and an MAT from UMass.
There will be an artist’s reception from 1 to 3 p.m. May 14.
The Williamsburg Cable Advisory Committee wants to hear from residents on current cable television services provided by Comcast.
The town’s contract with the company is up for renewal and before signing, the committee would like comments from people use Comcast services.
Residents are encouraged to take a 10-question online survey and/or attend a public hearing to express their views.
The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GDV37FY or by going to the town’s website at www.burgy.org.
Deadline for the on-line survey is May 2.
The public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 2 at the Williamsburg town offices at 141 Main St. in Haydenville.
The Worthington Finance Committee will host its long-awaited informational meeting summarizing its broadband report. This review will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the R.H. Conwell School.
Residents are encouraged to attend to find out about the debt authorization, financing the last mile, and the tax impact as well as the methods of operation, the town of Leverett’s model, the Wired West option, and the current status of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute.
Ideas for this column on life in the Hilltowns can be sent to Fran Ryan at Fryan.gazette@gmail.com.