The Tamaqua Borough Council retained the services of a Dauphin County firm to oversee renovations to the H.D. Buehler Memorial Pool.

Aquatic Facility Design, Millersburg, will be paid $289,060 for the consulting work, which will include preparing design plans and specifications to renovate pool at Bungalow Park, along with contract and construction management services.

The fees will be covered by $3.5 million in grant money that the borough has received for pool work, council President Brian Connely said during Tuesday’s meeting. One of the grants, for $1.75 million, was awarded by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Recreation and Conservation Grant program in 2021.

It will provide for renovations to the main pool and zero-entry splash zone, construction of pedestrian walkway and decking, installation of filtration and recirculation systems, water features and utilities and ADA access.

While the pool has been open during recent summer seasons, its walls have been deteriorating and leaking. Borough workers have been patching the pool.

In 2020 — before the grants were received — a referendum question was added to the ballot asking voters whether the borough should consider borrowing up to $2.5 million for upgrades or replacement of the pool. Residents voted 1,788 to 893 in favor of the question.

Tamaqua Area School District residents receive a discounted rate to use the pool each season thanks to a donation from the John E. Morgan Foundation. This year, the season passes cost $15 per person.

The borough has also been accepting donations to “Save the Bungalow.” The tax deductible donations help leverage grant dollars and help make improvements to the pool.