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Village
of Columbus Grove / Columbus Grove Pool Society / Poggemeyer Design Group
Columbus Grove has what may be the most unusual swimming pool
in Ohio. In the 1930s, citizens raised funds to buy an old quarry in a picturesque
setting near town. Workers for the WPA converted it into a swimming pool, park,
and recreation area using limestone from the quarry. Reminiscent of a sand castle,
the one-of-a-kind pool was finished in 1937. Because of its history and its
unusual design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in
1997, although the number of people using it had declined due to deferred maintenance.
Realizing that they had something special, the village of 2,200 people authorized
an income tax to finance $750,000 in improvements, aided by funds raised by
the Columbus Grove Pool Society. Founded in 1991, the society has over 150 members
from Rhode Island to California. Since its inception, the society has paid for
and planted trees, shrubs, flowers, and groundcover and sponsored improvements
to the pool and bathhouse, raising funds with events like the Haunted Pool,
An Evening Under the Stars with the Lima Symphony, and a holiday Winterwalk.
In 2003, the Village hired Poggemeyer Design Group to renovate the pool while
preserving its picturesque setting and character. The project included installing
a stainless steel liner, repairing the limestone walls and walkways, adding
access for people with disabilities, installing new fencing, lights, and landscaping,
and improving the bathhouse. To make the pool safer for children, the deep end
was raised from 9 feet to 5.5 feet, the diving board was replaced with a new
water slide, and additional water features were incorporated in the shallow
end. A water play area for small children replaced the old wading pool. The
landmark pool, once in danger of closing, reopened in June 2004 with renewed
vitality as a recreation area for the Village of Columbus Grove and neighboring
communities.
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