‘The impossible made possible’: Parowan’s newly renovated city pool opens with a splash

Written by Jeff Richards
July 8, 2023

PAROWAN — Parowan’s City Pool opened to the public on the afternoon of the Fourth of July.

Mayor Mollie Halterman Rochell Topham were among the first to go in the water at Parowan’s newly renovated city pool, Parowan, Utah, July 3, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Several teenage lifeguards were the first ones in the water, jumping in together during a volunteer appreciation night on Monday night, even as other volunteers were still painting doors and performing other task in preparation for the reopening.

As previously reported, many community members and businesses stepped up to make the renovation project happen within a matter of weeks, at a fraction of the originally projected cost.

“It brought tears to people’s eyes as they entered the facility again for the first time,” said Parowan Mayor Mollie Halterman, who expressed her appreciation for the efforts and dedication of the city’s staff and public works department employees. Thousands of hours and monetary donations were contributed by local businesses and volunteers that helped make the “generationally impactful” project possible, she said.

Halterman showed Cedar City News several photos and video clips on her phone documenting the progress of the project.

“These before and after pictures are less than five weeks apart, with one week lost to the weather,” she noted, calling the project “the impossible made possible.”

“Hard work and a community uniting in effort made a miracle happen at the Parowan Pool,” she said. “There is no doubt we had divine help. The miracles came in the form of community members who just kept showing up with what we needed at just the right time.”

Jed Sudweeks holds signs that sum up the story of Parowan’s newly renovated city pool, Parowan, Utah, July 3, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“Our community came together with solutions, generosity and heroic efforts by too many to list, to rebuild our pool,” Halterman added. 

Pool manager Kirsten McCoy expressed her excitement about the facility opening for the first time in three years.

“I’m really excited to be part of this project and to have such an amazing group of lifeguards to be able to open the pool up again,” she said. “It’s taken a lot of time and effort and work.”

Added lifeguard Sydni Lauer: “I’m super excited to have the opportunity to have a pool in Parowan and to work here and serve the community.”

Lauer was Parowan High School’s lone swimmer last season, qualifying for state as a freshman in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 500-yard freestyle events. 

McCoy said the pool will have limited opening hours (afternoons from 2-6 p.m.) until its scheduled grand opening on July 24. Several additional lifeguards are in the process of being hired and trained. 

“By Pioneer Day, we will be completely staffed,” she said, adding that the pool’s operating season is expected to run until mid-September.

Daily admission fee is $4 (children 3 and under are free, but must wear a swim diaper). Punch passes and group discounts are available, as are facility rentals. For the full fee schedule, click here.

Parowan City Pool is located at 89 S. 300 East, Parowan. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons and one granddaughter. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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