Mother Nature soaks Greensburg pool's reopening

Even with a return of a summer-like weather forecast for Friday, when the sun is expected and temperatures could reach into the 70s, there is no guarantee the freshly refurbished Veteran’s Memorial Pool at Greensburg’s Lynch Field will be open.

“Believe me, nobody — and I mean no one — is more frustrated with this weather than me. But whether we can open really depends on what happens (Thursday) with more downpours expected,” pool manager Trudy Ivory said.

The pool was closed for the second time this week. Rain closed it on Monday. On Thursday, it could not open after overnight rains washed sediment down a hillside and into the pool, Ivory said.

“I can’t open a pool with dirt on the bottom like that,” she said.

There was no structural damage, and the pool filtering pumps are working overtime to clear it out. However, with the region remaining under a flood watch until 9:30 p.m. Thursday from the National Weather Service, Ivory said she couldn’t say if the downpours do come again what impact it will have on the pool.

The 58-year-old pool was closed all last year as it underwent a $986,735 renovation. Trudy said she was anxious to show the project off to the community, only to be continually thwarted by Mother Nature.

“We’ve had rain eight straight days, and we were still open the last two days, but no one still showed up because of the weather,” Ivory said.

The region has gotten 6 inches of rain since Memorial Day weekend.

But National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Kennedy said the rain and thunderstorms were expected to clear out of Western Pennsylvania later Thursday.

“We’ve been under a flood watch in this area all week, but finally we’re going to have some nice weather. Lower humidity, in the 50% areas, both Friday and Saturday, and temperatures both days in the 70s — plus it will be sunny,” Kennedy said.

Ivory is hoping the forecast holds true.

“To tell you the truth, right now I’d be happy with a drought,” she quipped.