Vicksburg’s City Pool is being renovated thanks to $120,000 that was allocated to the parks and recreation department.

We have requested money for the last two or three years, and we finally got our wish,” said Joe Graves, parks and recreation director.

The largest chunk of money, $110,000, is being used to re-plaster the swimming pool. The Olympic-size pool, which opened in 1996, has not seen a fresh coat of plaster since.

“We wanted to make everything look brand new,” said Graves. “It’s going to completely refurbish the pool and give it a new look all the way through.”

The plaster in a pool has to be replaced about every 10 years, said Cathy Mitchell, pool manager. “When the pool gets down to the concrete, it can cause cracks and leaks. It can cause a pool to start coming out of the ground.”

Although the pool was most in need of repair, another $10,000 has been set aside for work on the verandas, gazebo lights, roofing on the arbors, exhaust and cooling fans for the restrooms and overall painting of the facility. If there is enough money left, Graves hopes to install sprinklers and a slide for the kiddie pool.

“We just want to bring in new people,” said Mitchell. “I hope more people will be coming to the City Pool and see what an awesome pool it is.”

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Contact Katie Carter at kcarter@vicksburgpost.com.