NILES — The Waddell Pool is set to be demolished Tuesday morning after standing in Niles for 88 years. It closed in 2014 but still is remembered fondly by many members of the community.

The pool was dedicated July 25, 1934, according to the Niles Historical Society. The ceremony was attended by 5,000 people and about 750 were able to swim afterwards. The ceremony included a water pageant and a diving exhibition, and the high school band played.

At the time it opened, the historical society notes Niles had one of the most modern and largest civic pools in the state.

That first summer, the pool was open from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The cost of entry was 20 cents for adults and 10 cents for children. By Sept. 16, when the pool closed that summer, it had collected $1,574.70 from 8,325 children and 3,711 adults. Free swimming was provided for 3,816.

Swimmers were required to shower before entry, and no smoking or rambunctious play was allowed. Bathing suits had to be clean and modest, according to the historical society. Wearing swim trunks without a shirt was not allowed.

While the pool was enjoyed by many at the beginning, it was not enjoyed equally. Black citizens were permitted to use the pool only on Monday mornings. According to the historical society, in his memoirs, Lou Tabors writes about how he convinced city administrators to let black residents use the facility equally, as they also were taxpayers and deserved to have access to the facilities their money helped support.

In the 1930s, the federal government announced a public works program that offered to pay 30 percent of the costs for projects that would put people to work in the midst of the Great Depression. Under this program, created through the National Recovery Act of 1933, Niles City Council applied for $40,000 in funding for the pool and was awarded that amount, according to the Niles Historical Society.

The land for the pool was donated to the city by Jacob D. Waddell in 1929 to be used as a park. In total, he donated 52 acres. Waddell was the vice president of Empire Steel Corporation and later was the first director of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District.

The historical society notes Waddell was hailed as “Niles’ Greatest Benefactor” for his generous gift. Many residents at the time hoped a pool would be added to the park, and the funding from the federal government made that possible.

The first concrete was poured in February 1934, and work began as construction material arrived. The architects on the project were Ackley, Bradey and Nelis from East Liverpool.

More information on the history of the pool and other Niles landmarks can be found at nileshistoricalsociety.org.

The Waddell Pool was closed in 2014 when the city couldn’t pay its lifeguards because of its fiscal emergency status. The facility has been unused since, except for occasional storage.

In 2017, a study done by Phillips Sekanick Architects of all city-owned buildings — aimed at determining the status of and needed repairs for the structures — included the pool and park maintenance building. The study found a water pipe leak underneath the pool and roof leaks, cracked walls and a damaged deck in the pool building.

The pool building and equipment have not been refurbished since the 1980s, and the pumphouse in the pool building in particular has deteriorated since the pool was closed. In 2018, it was estimated the pool required $2.5 million in repairs to be safe to open.

While officials said it would be too costly to make these repairs, the city is working on constructing a splash pad. Cortland, Warren and McDonald all have popular splash pads. Groundbreaking on the splash pad should begin next year for the play area to open around July 4.

Several members of the community wrote in to share their memories of Waddell Pool:

“Our family grew up swimming at the pool every Fourth of July. My brother, uncles and grandfather would go up to the park and sleep all night on the picnic tables so we had enough for the family,” Kristina Gimma said. “We stayed and barbecued all day. It was the best childhood memory. Even my children went to the pool every weekend and they’re now 42 and 45 years old. What a shame my grandchildren don’t get to see and enjoy the pool.”

“This makes me so sad,” Marci Ellwood said of the pool’s closing. “I spent hours and hours at this pool. We had paper routes, and my dad would go to the Trib and get the papers early, back when it was afternoon delivery. When we were done, Dad dropped us off at the pool with 50 cents for a snack. One of the ticket ladies is now my sister-in-law. We stayed ALL day and were starved. Mom had dinner waiting for us. Then, our grandson got to experience the pool as well.”

“I grew up in Niles in the ’50s and ’60s. I spent many of my childhood summers at Waddell Pool swimming with friends and family. Coming from a family of eight, this was an affordable, fun activity. It felt magical as a child.”

Michelle Piacquadio said. “We always knew we would be safe because there were hourly checks with everyone out of the pool and constant weather alerts. Our parents knew we would be safe and come home with smiles and exhausted from the hours of fun in the pool. I took my first swimming lessons at Waddell Pool. I can still smell the chlorine and suntan lotion, and feel the warm sun on my skin. I consider myself lucky to have experienced Waddell Pool at its finest!”

“I remember having season passes, along with my neighbors, and their mom would take us down almost every day,” Joe Burnham said. “It always felt like the entire community was there, and we would go to each others’ blankets and visit when the lifeguards cleared the pool. We would start to get so impatient, waiting to hear the whistle blow, letting us know we could swim again. It seemed like we would all jump in simultaneously. I am so grateful to have those memories of the pool and my friends. I will cherish them forever.”

“My friends and I lived on the other side of Niles and would ride our bikes every Saturday and spend the day at the pool,” Scott Belica said.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

YOUNGSTOWN — A 6-foot bronze statue depicting a bearded man in great distress lying with one hand draped over his ...

AUSTINTOWN — A crowd of onlookers turned their faces upward Thursday evening as Youngstown firefighter and ...

WARREN — An assistant Trumbull County prosecutor termed it a win for the Ohio Constitution as the 11th District ...

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County commissioners on Thursday authorized a $71,250 contract between the Mahoning ...

LORDSTOWN — Discussions between the United Auto Workers and Ultium Cells appear to be ongoing in the union’s ...

Copyright © The Vindicator | https://www.vindy.com | 240 Franklin Street SE, Warren, OH 44482 | 330-841-1600 | Terms of Service