Lansford Borough Council last week asked its engineer for costs to fill in its defunct pool at the Ashton Hill Park complex.

Council previously approved Radocha Excavating to punch holes in the bottom of the pool to allow water to drain. The pool had continued to fill with water to the level of the skimmers and piping, causing a hazard.

Council members questioned whether they should combine the two projects, but council President Bruce Markovich said they already awarded a contract to the local contractor, and holes will be needed for drainage once fill is added to keep the area from becoming swampy.

People question why the holes weren’t already punched in the bottom of the pool.

Councilman Joseph Butrie said that it’s because the pool keeps filling with water from all the rain, and the contractor won’t do the work with the water in the pool.

Council pulled the plug on the pool in the summer of 2023 after a meeting with representatives from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources about the community’s options.

The borough then applied for grants for a splash pad to replace the pool, which was originally built in the mid-1940s and reconstructed in the 1980s before closing due to leaks in 2015.

In April, the borough opened the pool complex for residents to view the current condition of the pool, which inspections deemed unsafe and beyond repair. Eight people came out.

With little movement regarding splash pad funding, council members and residents have begun talking about other uses for the fenced-in pool complex, including pavilions, a walking track, and a band shell or outdoor amphitheater.