NORTHUMBERLAND – A staple of summer in Northumberland is now in danger of closing. Northumberland Borough Council is trying to decide what to do about the increasing expenses–and falling revenue–at Liberty Splashland. Borough Council President Paul Ruane, “We don’t know what to do. Right now we’re at a standstill. Right now, it’s costing the tax payers too much money. That’s why we want to decide what we want to do.”
To help make a decision, Community and Economic Development Committee is holding a public meeting Monday, November 13 at 7 p.m. at the Second Street Community Center. Ruane says current costs include $17,000 for water, $60,000 to staff lifeguards, and $5,000 for insurance.
Borough council is considering three options regarding the pool…Two options are raising the recreation tax, or finding more ways to get the community involved. The third is closing the pool all together, something Ruane would still like to avoid, “I’d like to see the pool stay open and break even, where it won’t cost the borough any money. We have a well here, but it’s high in iron so that doesn’t work.”
Liberty Splashland has been open since 1976. (Matt Catrillo)
