AMHERST — War Memorial Pool, one of two full-size swimming pools in town, remains closed due to mechanical issues, and the timing of its opening for the summer season remains uncertain.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said Tuesday that a malfunctioning filter, and the inability of the town to get a necessary part, is keeping the pool from opening. He said “supply chain challenges” are affecting the repairs.
That has left the Mill River site, which opened June 18, as the only full-size pool, with a wading pool adjacent to it, and forced swim lessons that had been planned at War Memorial to move to the indoor pool at Amherst Regional Middle School.
While the splash pad at Groff Park has been open since May, that is periodically turned off for 15-minute breaks due to its filter system.
As town officials deal with swimming matters, they are also responding to complaints associated with the Independence Day celebrations that took place on July 1.
People who came out for the annual event near the football stadium on the University of Massachusetts campus may not have gotten what they expected, Bockelman said, as advertisements for the celebration over-promised and under-delivered on the activities.
A printed flyer indicated that there would be a beer garden, hot-air balloon rides, fun activities, food and free parking.
Bockelman said the hot-air balloon wasn’t on site, and food options were more limited than had been expected, and that fireworks went off 9:30 p.m., a half-hour later than the 9 p.m. advertised time.
Already, Bockelman said, the town is beginning to take steps for next year to make sure that the event is back to the way it was before the pandemic.
The other confusion came from whether the $5 parking fee was mandated, with some visitors believing they should not be required to pay.
A letter was also sent after the event from Recreation Director Rey Harp to people who made inquiries, saying the department had not lived up to expectations or met town standards.
“While many appreciated the fireworks display, there was disappointment concerning the activities that were advertised that either did not take place or were less than expected,” Harp wrote. “We sincerely apologize for what turned out to be a disappointing event on a day that should have been reserved for celebration.”
In a post to the department’s Facebook page, Harp wrote, “I would also like to acknowledge my own dissatisfaction with our advertising and communication surrounding the events of the Independence Day celebration.”