Swimming Pool Opens Saturday at Bellevue Memorial Park

Ross Township residents will pay the non-resident rate for season pool passes to the Bellevue Memorial Park Swimming Pool, which opens at 11:30 a.m. Saturday for the summer season. 

General admission for the pool, which features a kids pool, slide and diving boards in addition to the main pool, is $7 before 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., entry to the pool costs $5. Pool admission is free for children under the age of 3.

Season pool passes are also available for purchase. Unlike last year, Ross residents will not receive the same discount on the passes that Bellevue residents receive. A family pass for Bellevue residents (five passes) is $150; the regular rate is $225. 

Doug Sample, director of administrative services for Bellevue, said the discount was given last year to Ross residents because Bellevue officials hoped Ross Township would offset the difference by contributing toward the pool's costs. 

Sample, who was hired by the borough late last summer, said he was not part of those discussions. He said the agreement was never formalized -- he said he's not sure if Bellevue officials even reached out to Ross officials about the idea.

Sample said he hopes to renew those discussions and reach an agreement on a Ross Township contribution for next year so that the passes can be offered to Ross residents at the lower rate. 

"That's going to be a priority of mine," he said. 

The pool and park, which also includes a tennis court, baseball field, picnic groves, horseshoe pits and hiking and fitness trails, are located in Ross Township, but Bellevue owns the land and facilities, Sample said. Bellevue employees also take care of the park's maintenance. 

The pool's operating budget is $165,000 for the season. Pool passes, budgeted to bring in about $95,000, and consession sales, budgeted to bring in about $40,000, cover about 81 percent of the operating budget. The difference is made up with money from Bellevue's general fund.  Another $25,000 to $30,000 is spent on the pool in labor provided by the Bellevue Public Works Department. 

"Bellevue taxpayers are paying for that. That's why they get the discounted rate," Sample said. 

Ross Township Parks and Recreation Director Pete Geis said he was not familiar with last year's discussions to help offset the pool's operating costs in exchange for a lower rate for Ross residents. Township officials are talking with Bellevue officials about the possibility of contributing next year, he said. 

For a full list of pricing for season passes, visit the Borough's website. The pool is open Weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Other options for swimming in the area include Allegheny County's North Park swimmming pool, which opened June 4. Pool hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily through Labor Day.

Saturday's pool admission will be free all day, in celebration of the reopening of North Park Lake. Typical pool admission rates are $5 for those age 18 to age 59; $3 for those age 60 and older; $4 for those age 13 to age 17; $3 for ages 6 to 12; and $1 for those 5 years old or younger. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more with 24-hour notice. 

Season pool passes are also available at the North Park location for $110 for a family of four. For more information about the pools and additional pricing visit www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/fees/pools.aspx or call the North Park Swimming Pool at 724-935-1951.