Trumbull Democratic Town Committee

Trumbull Day Cancelled for 2010

First Selectman Timothy Herbst announced Thursday that he is cancelling the town's annual carnival and fireworks extravaganza. For more on the decision, click here.

Hillcrest Pool Closed During School Hours

A four-decade era where residents had access to a community pool may be ending in Trumbull.

The Board of Education Tuesday night voted unanimously to close the Hillcrest Middle School pool during the school day, displacing dozens of adult swimmers who participate in several different Recreation Department programs.

The decision takes effect immediately, with the facility off limits from 7:30 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. on school days. It wasn't a complete shutdown of the pool, and it may not be permanent, but it marks, perhaps, the beginning of the end of an era that has existed in Trumbull for more than four decades.

The school board cited two security concerns in support of its decision: First, the locker rooms, where adults and students share the facilities. This situation may be fixable through the construction of a wall and the reconfiguration of shower and toilet spaces. This solution may continue to move forward in the weeks ahead. The second concern was access to the building via the pool, which can't be effectively controlled without hiring a security guard.

"I am less concerned about what may happen in the locker room than I am with the entry to the building," said board member Steve Wright. "The other entry is still a breach of security."

Wright cited state statute that holds boards of education solely responsible for the security of school buildings under their jurisdiction, meaning that even though the Hillcrest pool is under the control of the recreation department, the school board is responsible for security because the pool is in a school facility. Board member Lisa Labella concurred, noting the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, 11 years ago, and other more recent incidents. "It can happen here," she said. "For all of us up here, we are the ones who will be held responsible."

Their colleagues agreed. "These safety concerns are paramount to me," said board member Tom Kelly. "And until I can be sure these security concerns are addressed, I can't in good conscience vote to keep this pool open."

The vote culminates a month-long process that began when the Town Council voted to remove a proposed standalone pool facility from the Trumbull High School renovation. That decision left the town without any plans to deal with the security situation at the Hillcrest pool or plans to replace or renovate it. The Council voted Monday night to initiate a 90-day study of the operations and use of the Hillcrest pool with one possible outcome: the creation of a building committee that could recommend one or the other of those options.

Tuesday's vote came after passionate arguments on both sides of the issue, including adult swimmers who use the pool in Recreation Department programs, and PTA leaders, who had recommended closing the pool. Programs affected include adult swimming, swimming lessons, adult free swimming, and toddler swimming. Those programs can't be easily moved to after-school times either, because the swimming teams use the pool then. "I ask that you do whatever steps are necessary to keep the pool open during school hours," said Helen Weinstein, who said she was speaking on behalf of the seniors. "Please show that you remember and are appreciative of the contributions that seniors have made and are continuing to make to Trumbull."

Added another proponent of keeping the pool open: "What's the next step here, folks? Send our kids on the bus with a policeman? I really find this exaggerated. We've got to draw a limit on this hyped-up helicopter parenting."

In the end, the school board was closer to the perspective of PTA leader Lainie McHugh, who said, "I'm worried about abductors. I'm worried about felons. I'm worried about sex offenders. I'm amazed this is still going on. I'd like to know if something happens to my son today, who's responsible for what happens?"

This became a political tussle and in the end the adult swimmers, particularly our seniors, got hurt. The pool opponents certainly had a point, but they let themselves become a little bit blinded to the reality that there is a real need and a real constituency for a pool. They became a little bit blinded to the acute deterioration and security problems at Hillcrest and to the burden on the school administrators. At least their rhetoric never mentioned those things. And now we're all left scrambling for solutions. Here's a prediction: There is only one way this is going to end. Trumbull is going to build a town pool in the next three-to-five years.