Wenham Turns Down Pool Funding Request

Wenham voters won’t be asked this fall to fund a portion of a new pool proposed Patton Park pool using Community Preservation Act money.

The Wenham Community Preservation Committee on Wednesday night took two separate votes, both turning down a request from the Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Commission and the town of Hamilton for $800,000 in funding toward the $2.5 million dollar project to replace the American Legion Memorial pool with a new pool.

There were about 35 people in Burnham Hall at Wenham Museum as the committee heard about the pool plans, took comments from the public and deliberated over the stretch of 2-1/2 hours.

The committee initially turned down a request for the full $800,000 in a 5-4 vote. Later, committee member Ted Batchelder proposed using $270,000 from the CPA’s reserve and then paying $45,565 each year over the course of a 20-year bond to cover the remaining cost. That failed on a 6-3 vote.

Last week, the Hamilton Community Preservation Committee voted to send the pool funding to Special Town Meeting voters next week, asking to approve using Community Preservation Act money to replace the existing pool, which was built in 1961 and is not expected to be in good enough condition to open next summer.

“Because Hamilton decided to fund it through the CPA does not mean we have to fund it through the CPA,” said committee member Virginia Rogers.