By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
The Aumiller pool is set to open this Saturday but there are still a few things that need taken care of before kids can enjoy fun in the sun.
The Crawford County Arts Council, joined by the city of Bucyrus, has spearheaded the Aumiller pool house painting project. Since Wednesday, workers have been painting the outside of the pool house and the foyer.
The only problem? They’ve been a little short on volunteers.
“Actually we’re moving pretty well with the people we have,” noted Bob Laipply, a member of the Arts Council. “Our problem (is) we’ve got the equipment, we’ve got rollers, we’ve got the paint. We just need some more bodies.”
Laipply was perched on scaffolding outside the front of the pool house Thursday, adding a line of green paint to the pool house’s new aqua blue façade. He was joined by Rob Neff, who wielded a long-handled paint roller, and other volunteers armed with paint brushes. Volunteers from the MRDD board were also helping out Thursday.
“The pool is going to open back up Saturday so we’re trying to get everything done so we wouldn’t interfere with the workings of the pool. Then maybe we can work on the ends next week if we need to or the weekend,” Laipply said. “Right now we need all hands on deck.”
As of Thursday morning, painting had begun in the pool house’s foyer and most of the front of the building had been painted.
“The Arts Council is going to come and they’re going to paint a mural above the building up on the top with waves (and) the word ‘splash,’ which is what Roger Moore wanted to call it.”
Laipply hoped that the new design would create more excitement for the Aumiller pool.
Volunteers are still needed to finish the project. Laipply said they can just show up at the pool house between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“I had a lady call me up. She wasn’t able to help (paint),” Laipply explained. “She said. ‘You need some brushes?’ The next day there was a bag of new brushes on my front porch.”
“We pretty much have jobs for people of any skill level. You know, those other people who said ‘I only painted a bedroom once’—that’s ok. We’ll find a job for you. A building this big — we’ve got enough work. Those that aren’t comfortable on ladders, we’re working off the ground and those that are comfortable, we have this scaffolding that’s donated by Quinn Brothers,” said Laipply, adding that Sherwin-Williams donated the paint being used.
Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact Laipply at 419-569-2709.