Fees Rising At Oswego’s Gallagher Pool

June 17, 2010 Steve Yablonski

OSWEGO, NY – The fees at the Charles E. Gallagher Swimming Pool are going up this season.

At its meeting Monday night, the Common Council approved slight increases in some of the fees for the city swimming pool.

A Youth Season Pass will jump from $15 up to $25 for residents and $35 for non-residents.

The Adult Season Pass, currently $20, will increase to$35 for residents and $45 for non-residents.

A Family Season Pass was $35. It will now be $55 for residents and $70 for non-residents.

The learn to swim program will be offered for $20 per child for residents and $30 for non-residents.

The Youth Day Pass (18 and younger) remains at $1 for residents and non-residents. And the Adult Day Pass will still cost $2.

Also, senior citizens will continue to be able to use the facility for free.

This will help generate a little more revenue from the pool, according to Mike Smith, Commissioner of DPW and Parks & Recreation.

“This will offset the cost of operating the pool. It is generally accepted as a fair way to keep the pool open,” he said referring the consideration councilors were giving possibly closing the pool during last year’s budget discussions 2010.

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  1. THIS story makes me furious! Thirty odd years ago (or is it now 40), the city pool was built to off-set the fact that for a city on a waterway, our residents have no legal access to that waterway. This was an era when the college was yet undeveloped past the few dorms near the president’s residence, and allowed ‘free non-lifeguard’ swimming.

    Then ‘progress’ happened, and multiple buildings were built along the lake, and more and more areas were prohibited for swimming.

    So, the city built a pool. And it was free for residents, taxpaying or not.

    Fifteen years ago, I went to a Common Council meeting because the council was going to raise the cost of a swim pass from free to $.25 for children, and $1.25 for adults. This made a one-day outing for a family of just four, to $3, in essence making it cost-prohibitive for many low-income residents.

    In an era when there are more and more low-income residents in our city, and when we are more economically challenged than ever before (back then we had a few more industries), we are ‘raising’ rates yet again.

    WHEN it is 90 degrees and life-threatening heat for many people, where can those without a/c to go to ‘cool off.’ OF course, some will use the prohibited areas (and there are several within walking distance), but no where ‘legal’ for those who are cash strapped.

    IF we are going to raise the cost(s) of admission, I think we should allow free access on those 90 degree days. IF they last a week, it should be free for a week!

    In The Bible they say the poor are always with us. Since Oswego is a largely Christian city, I think we should consider these people with some generosity, when conditions are physically hostile.

    I lived in a city that had a free pool, and it was one of the few things that kids without much money could do in the summer. It grieves me to see those who have money forget that some people do not.

    Debbie Engelke
    Long-Time Resident

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