East County Swimming Pool Slated for Closure Gets a 1-year Stay

BRADENTON – At Tuesday's meeting, the Manatee BOCC voted unanimously to fund the swimming pool at John H. Marble Park for one more year. The board allocated $45,743 for its continued operation. The pool was scheduled to close permanently at the end of the month, after parks department officials cited low usage and said that the money would be better spent on other facilities.

Nearby residents argued that its low utilization was owed to confusion in the community over its ownership and availability, and said the county needed to better communicate details to the public.

District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh asked for the temporary measures, and said she had talked with a group that might be interested in taking over the facility. Baugh said she'd like to see some outreach on the county's part.

The park is located at 3675 53rd Avenue East in Bradenton. It includes a 25-meter pool, that ranges in dept from 4 to 12 feet. There are 6 lanes and a complete locker room facility. It is open to the public for a daily fee of $2.50 plus tax.