Crissey Memorial Pool to open May 28

For generations of families summer life in Millersburg centered on swimming, as the waters of the James T. Crissey Memorial swimming pool created a century of shared memories for men, women and children in Holmes County. That shared community experience will be renewed after a long dormancy on Saturday, May 28 as the pool officially begins a new life with a grand opening celebration from noon-6 p.m. The pool, constructed in the early years of the 20th century by the Village of Millersburg, is now a part of the Holmes County Park District. Though the pool was open briefly in August 2015, this will be the first full year of operation.Historic Downtown Millersburg director Judy Lamp was quick to reach out to offer help in the early planning stages of the grand opening. “The Crissey Memorial Pool was an integral part of Holmes County life for a very long time,” said Lamp, who once taught swimming lessons at the pool. “It seemed like everyone was there every summer. There are so many stories from so many families. You tend to take something like that for granted until it’s gone and you miss it.” The grand opening is a joint project of the Historic Downtown Millersburg Association and the Holmes County Park District. Lamp went to work finding sponsors to fund the grand opening. “Area businesses have been a huge help in allowing us to offer free swimming, hot dogs, chips and snacks,” she said. A disc jockey will play summer music from noon-3 p.m.Holmes County Park District director Jen Halverson said she hopes the grand opening will help people remember what it’s like to spend the summer at the pool. “There were so many people who stepped up to help with the whole process,” Halverson said. “They came forward to ask ‘how can we help?’ and I hope they will continue to be a part of the process so the pool can be preserved well into the future. Last year’s late summer opening allowed us to kind of gauge what the community needed from us in terms of how we could best serve them.”The swimming pool is named for James T. Crissey, who spent decades managing it and became a key part of summer memories for area residents. Over time the aging pool fell into disrepair and was closed several years ago. A local resident who has insisted on remaining anonymous, approached the Village of Millersburg about renovation and came to fund the effort after transfer to the Holmes County Park District. “It was a massive project,” Halverson said. “The pool is a little smaller now, and it has a new deck. It lacked a modern skimming system and other things we had to correct.” Lamp said the closing of the pool was keenly felt throughout the county. “When it was gone, it was really a loss. The pool had been the center of summer activity for area families, many who learned to swim there. It’s where everyone used to hang out in the summertime. It’s really great to have it back and part of our community’s life again.” Halverson said the pool is resuming swimming lessons and is ready for a full summer of activity. “The pool has meant so much to area families. We are happy to be able to provide that again.”More information is available at www.holmesparkdistrict.org.