Tosa Pool Reviewing Policies After Monday Closing

When skies cleared up quickly following a morning downpour Monday and brought on a warm afternoon, many visitors to the new Tosa Pool at Hoyt Park were disappointed to find the pool closed for the whole day.

A pool spokeswoman said Tuesday that in the wake of the closing, policies on weather closures were being reviewed and better ways were being sought to communicate the pool's status to the public.

"For right now, I would suggest that people call when there is rain or rain in the forecast," said Mary Pluta, director of communications for the Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool. "We are currently reviewing our policies on closing and we do hope to avoid confusion in the future."

Pluta said that the decision to close Monday was based on weather forecasts for coming hours, not just on what was happening at the moment.

"The pool manager was looking at the radar," Pluta said, "and when I arrived around noon, it had been looking like there was more (rain) coming.

"We followed what is kind of the general policy of the county with its pools. The pool manager and the head lifeguard discussed it and talked Tami (Schlickman, executive director).

"We sent the lifeguards home in the morning and we couldn't recall them.

"We definitely realized yesterday that we need a better way to determine the need for a closing and especially a better way to communicate to the public and our community so that people won't show up and be disappointed."

As showers came and went Tuesday, Tosa Pool stayed open until a thunderstorm approached after 2:30 p.m. and the pool was shut down.

"We had lightning coming, and that's what signals a closing," Pluta said. "We close at 4:30 on Tuesdays, so I don't know whether it will reopen today or not."

In fact, a reader reported that the pool had reopened – if only briefly – after the thunderstorm passed.

If you are among those who were upset to be turned away Monday on what turned out to be an inviting day for a swim, Pluta feels your pain.

"I know my daughter was disappointed," Pluta said. "She was looking forward to an evening swim and was really sad that it was closed."