The city pool and waterpark saw lots of use over Memorial Day weekend – and the sales of passes have
already outpaced last year.
Parks and Recreation Director Michelle Grigore told the board Tuesday that more than 1,500 people went to
the facility Saturday, Sunday and Monday to cool off in the warm, sunny weather.
Of those patrons, nearly half showed up on Memorial Day.
Grigore also indicated sales of season passes to the pool are up, already topping total sales from last
year.
"It was fun to go over and see the activities," said Mayor Richard Edwards, who attended the
meeting.
Grigore said the pool and waterpark will be closed this week while Bowling Green schools are still in
session, but it will reopen Saturday.
There are also plans, she said, to keep the pool open on weekends once school is back in session in the
fall, through Labor Day.
Changes in leadership were also on the board’s agenda.
It was announced that Tuesday night’s meeting would be the last for longtime member and current board
chair Jodi Anderson.
Anderson, who has been on the board for more than a decade, is term-limited.
Edwards rose at the meting to recognize Anderson’s service.
"Especially I think of your leadership with the pool levy, and that meant a great deal of difference
there," he said.
"It has been a wonderful 10 years," said Anderson, noting a number of changes in the city’s
parks over that time, including the creation of the Simpson Garden Park and the addition of Tucker
Woods.
"Our parks are obviously something our citizens value, and they continue to show that over and over
again."
Anderson’s spot will be one of two vacancies on the board; another member, Matt Partin, recently resigned
from the board due to other commitments.
Edwards said he will recommend the appointment of J.D. Pooley, photo editor of the Sentinel-Tribune, and
Monique Rosati, director of operations for the Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team,
for the two vacancies. The appointments would then be submitted for the approval of City Council.
At the meeting, current vice chair Kent Strange was elected as board chair, current secretary Karen
Rippey was elected as vice chair, and member Chris Scholl was elected as secretary. Cheryl Windisch was
chosen to continue on as representative to the Parks and Recreation Foundation.
In other business, the board:
• Heard from Municipal Administrator John Fawcett that demolition of the former Ridge School building is
set to commence around June 8. The city is working on plans to turn the area into park space.
Fawcett said the contractor for the project is required to have the building demolished and the area
seeded by the end of June.
"If you’ve been there, you’ll see they’ve already got the fence up," he said, indicating that
bricks from the school will be taken to the city’s Public Works garage and made available to residents.

• Unanimously approved a proposal to abolish an additional $25 rental fee for the Green Shelter at the
pool and waterpark that would otherwise be charged to non-residents.
Rental of the facility is $150 for each 3-hour time block.
It was judged that the additional fee might discourage potential renters. The rental fee does not cover
admission to the pool, which is 50 cents more for non-residents.