Palatine Park District to Consider Closing Willow Wood Pool at Meeting Tuesday

Palatine Park District Executive Director Ron Gbur has recommended the closure of Willow Wood in 2012. The pool closing is on the park district's agenda for the 7 p.m., Tuesday April 26 meeting at 505 S. Quentin Rd.

Residents of the Willow Wood subdivision have said that the 47-year-old pool should remain open. Park officials contend the pool is out-of-date, small and has various maintaince issues.

Gbur said Willow Wood had about 6,200 visitors and lost about $48,000 in 2010. Although the park district does not view pools as money makers, it does try to break even. By comparison, the Family Aquatic Center lost about $50,000, but had 58,000 visitors.

Residents near Willow Wood, 530 N. Stark Drive, have said the pool is an important community gathering place and great for young children. Residents have said if the pool closes there will not be any park district water facilities east of Hicks Road and children could be put at-risk if they have to cross Hicks Road to reach Eagle Park pool or Northwest Highway to reach the Family Aquatic Center.

Gbur has recommended the pool be demolished and not replaced, but he said the park district would seek input from residents for new amenities in the area.

The park district has the , 340 E. Palatine Rd., and the pool at the , 435 W. Illinois Ave. The park district also is planning to reconstruct , 1425 N. Oak St., after this summer at a cost of $3.5 million to $3.75 million.

Gbur has said the three upgraded and updated pools should be enough to adequately serve Palatine.

Although the park district staff have recommended the pool's closure, the final decision is up to the five-member park district board.