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07/10/2008 08:31 AM

 

Rain Rain, Go Away! July 10, 2008 ECO staff - Eric Johnson, Student Journalist   Wednesday brought Ellwood City yet another rainy day. With all this gloomy weather, it’s kind of hard to keep Ewing Park and its swimming pool populated. A quick visit got some information on how the rainy summer weather has been affecting the recreational side of Ellwood City. Walking near the Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool, it resembled a pool out of season. Only a handful of splashes and a few hungry kids huddled around the snack machine to fill their appetite. At the front desk, manager Emily Rastatter led ECO into the pool area. Two lifeguards on break, Sarah Messersmith and Maya Ranchod, played cards on a picnic area table. This is Messersmith’s first year on the lifeguard crew while Ranchod experienced her rookie campaign last year. “The visitors of the pool were more consistent last year,” explained Ranchod when asked if there has been a difference in attendance since last year. Messersmith laughed and added, “The first weekend the pool opened, June 9th, there were too many kids coming.” On a rainy day, “the pool’s average visitors range anywhere between 10 and 15”, says Rastatter. There were 13 people occupying the pool on Wednesday. The pool gets a lot of their visitors from groups such as the YMCA, the ECCC, I Care House, and other daycares in the surrounding areas. Rastatter explained that she and other employees have lost a lot of hours due to the rainy weather. The workers at the pool get paid hourly and if the pool shuts down early, their money goes down the drain. The pool shuts down mainly when there is thunder and lightning. Rastatter also says that it is very unpleasant to “guard” in the rain. Traveling over to a dryer section of Ewing Park, the shelters and playground were not busy either as a lone maintance truck was seen leaving Riverside Drive. Opening the doors of the park office, Dr. Joseph M. Cioffi, park director, welcomed ECO to sit down. Cioffi talked about how the rain made it impossible to cut the grass because the soggy grass clogs the lawn mowers. “This is the first rain day since May”, Cioffi says. What he means is that Wednesday was the first day he had to send workers home cause the wet conditions made it hard to work in. However, there was more rain last year he said. “The rain makes it hard to take care of all 64 acres”, proclaims Cioffi. Sunny relief is near for Ellwood City. This weekend temperatures are set to reach 90 degrees with plenty of sunshine for Messersmith and Ranchod to patrol the pool.