PRINCEVILLE, Ill. – The village of Princeville is without a public-run pool this summer, but the potential of a new government body could help bring it back.
25 News reports the village board voted to permanently close the pool in March, citing rising costs in minimum wage, materials, and upgrades to the facility.
The pool was also projected to lose between $80,000 to $100,000 this year, more than double in an average year.
Village President Jeff Troutman says that was too much to swallow.
“Spending that much money for a facility that’s only in operation for two and a half months out of the year, the board just felt it was not a good oversight of taxpayer money,” said Troutman.
One idea suggested to help fund and bring the pool back would be the creation of a park district in Princeville. To get the issue on next year’s primary ballot for a vote, a petition with 100 signatures would be needed.
If approved, the district would then need to find five people to serve on its board of directors.
”It would be a possibility that it could open as soon as next year again if it was created. Not a guarantee, it may be the 2025 season before they can get up and running,” Troutman said.
The primary is scheduled for March of next year.
