No Rainbow Beach

VINCENNES, IND. (WTHI) -       An old pool in a southern Indiana city may just have seen its final season.

      Vincennes officials say Rainbow Beach Pool needs thousands of dollars in repairs before it can open again.

     The city appears likely to spend a summer without a pool while it tries to secure a new facility.

     Vincennes officials have been warning that the days of Rainbow Beach Pool are numbered.

     Now it appears that number may be up even earlier than expected because of a problem with the liner.

     "It's got some issues where it's pulling away from the wall in some places," said Vincennes Parks Superintendent Steve Beaman.  "It's 9 years old.  It's losing some of its flexibility, its pliability.  So, we had some issues with it and when we went to fill it back up the liner tore in some places."

     Fixing the liner would cost around $27,000.

     Park officials took the project to the city council.

     "They're probably leaning toward not doing it," said Beaman.  "The feeling was that money could be better spent."

     While it appears the old pool is closed for good the city is moving forward on its plans to hold a referendum in the spring on a new facility.

     "This liner tearing and putting us in this position kind of sped up that process I think for people to realize the facility is outdated," said Beaman.

     The parks department also feels like the the problems that have the current pool closing might also make the referendum a clearer choice for the community.

     "Now, your options are going to be voting yes on the referendum and going forward with a new pool or probably not having a facility," said Beaman.

     A question Vincennes hasn't faced in 40 years, but will most likely have to deal with in May.

     The Parks Department has begun discussions with both the YMCA and Vincennes University in hopes of making those pools available for some public use next summer.