Troy

Residents are pushing the city to open its two pools this summer instead of keeping them closed as victims of 2017 budget cuts.

But getting the pools open in time for summer swimming has city officials trying to ascertain the cost for maintaining and operating the pools.

The "Save Troy Public Pools" petition on Change.org had 385 signatures as of Monday to keep open the pools in South Troy and in Knickerbacker Park in Lansingburgh.

Amanda Beale of Massachusetts Avenue presented the petition to the City Council at Thursday's meeting.

"Please sign this petition to tell the City Council that we value children and families and they need to look harder to find other places to cut to keep the pools open. If the pools close, this Mayor and this Council will be judged by this action for decades to come," the petition states.

Beale read selections posted by individuals who signed the online petition. Additional comments have been added as more city residents have signed the petition.

"Many do not have the means to access other ways to cool off from the hot summer days. The cost for these is minimal compared to other wasteful spending in our city," Nancy Nolan posted.

While gaining encouragement and support from council members, just how much it will cost to have the pools open this summer is not completely known.

"We have to do a lot of work each year to maintain them," Deputy Mayor Monica Kurzejeski said Monday.

The city is seeking estimates for making repairs to the pools and to determine if the pools are at the point where they have to be rebuilt or replaced. A report is due at the end of the month.

Troy is not the only city with municipal pool problems. Albany is studying the Lincoln Park Pool, which leaks an estimated 500,000 gallons of water daily. The pool was shut last summer after water and sewer main breaks and repairs nearby.

During the last several years, Troy's pools have closed for repairs or had to be shut when they could not be fixed during the summer season.

Opening the pools this summer goes beyond the $120,000 annual operating costs, Kurzejeski said.

Individuals and companies are coming forward, and the city will have to determine what the future will be for a program that was eliminated from the budget.

"We have to figure it out," the deputy mayor said.

Councilmen Robert Doherty and Mark McGrath have each said Mayor Patrick Madden should work to open the pools

"I do not concur with the closing and asked the Mayor if private funds would be an acceptable alternative to closure. He is entirely supportive of private funds and has been approached by others with the same intent," Doherty said in a statement.

"The pools need to be open," McGrath said.

The city has spray pads at locations in the city. In Prospect Park, it also has the decaying remains of a long-closed municipal pool.

Kurzejeski said the city must consider how it can work with non-profits to provide broad youth programs in addition to swimming.

kcrowe@timesunion.com • 518-454-5084 • @KennethCrowe