What is the Future of the Mountaindale Pool?
Fallsburg Future presents a Guest Editorial by Mountaindale Residents
concerned by the closure of the pool and the future of the park.
Dear Friends and Neighbors
At the beginning of this summer, the Mountaindale Pool was unexpectedly closed without any warning. The Town, had an entire fall, winter and spring season at its disposal, yet did nothing to prepare or repair the pool for reopening nor did it inform the residents of their decision until the very last moment. The former parks commissioner, fairly responsible for the degradation of the pool and the park, declared that the pool was too expensive to repair, despite the fact that no professional pool companies were consulted. Finally a single estimate was released.
STP (Save the Pool) Mountaindale Editorial
We are extremely aggrieved by the closure of the Mountaindale pool and very disappointed by the supposed estimate from AJ’s Pool & Spa Services.
First, there can be no credence for a company that one cannot locate on the internet. There is no website nor reviews for this company, an unusual absence for any company claiming to be a legitimate business. Only when one searches by phone #, does an obscure website, Buzzfile, come up.
Business Description:
“Aj's Pool & Spa Services is located in Bayside, New York. This organization primarily operates in the Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Service and Maintenance business / industry within the Business Services sector. This organization has been operating for approximately 10 years. Aj's Pool & Spa Services is estimated to generate $149,180 in annual revenues, and employs approximately 2 people at this single location.”
One questions how this company was selected? Was an RFP initiated? Who requested the estimate? How is this company qualified to do a renovation of the Mountaindale Pool? Why wasn’t Weschler Pool Supply, local and very experienced, contacted for an estimate? Public pools exist in Grahamsville, Liberty and Bethel. Did the Supervisor reach out to these municipalities and their Parks Commissioners to help find an appropriate and experienced contractor?
This estimate does not separate the cost of labor and the price of materials. It is a general checklist without individual prices assigned to each work task. The proposal is simply a single lump-sum amount of $1,350,000, without any itemized costs. It does not identify the cost of the individual components, quantities of materials, equipment specifications, labor costs, sub-contractor costs, or even how the $1.35 million was calculated.
The scope is also extremely broad. It includes replacing all service lines and fittings, re-forming the concrete deck, completely redoing the equipment room and supplying all new equipment, as well as repairs to the pool surfaces, drains, skimmers and returns. Yet this estimate does not explain the necessity of all of these items nor identify the specific deficiencies that require them as determined by a comprehensive engineering report.
No business will rely on only one estimate. Three estimates are necessary for a proposal. Why did the Town obtain only one estimate for this project? Were any other qualified pool contractors asked to provide estimates? Were any other competitive bids or proposals obtained? Was AJ’s proposal independently reviewed by the Town’s engineer?
Many questions exist.
• Was any inspection or engineering report provided to AJ’s Pool or by AJ’s Pool?
• Is there a specific proposed equipment and material list, with specifications and cost?
• Did the Town engineer solicit this estimate or review this proposal?
If the Town has not involved the Town Engineer, has not reached out to other towns in our county and has not solicited more estimates, the question is WHY NOT?
This lump-sum estimate without any supporting detail does not, by itself, establish that $1.35 million is the true cost of restoring the Mountaindale pool. Furthur research and estimates by credible contractors are absolutely necessary. For a project of this magnitude, the public must be able to understand how the cost was determined and whether the Town verified the cost through multiple qualified contractors.
But the underlying issue is the suspicion that this administration is not committed to the Mountaindale Pool. Years of delayed maintenance and ignored upgrades have taken its toll. This administration believes that since there is a pool in Morningside Park, there is no need for the Mountaindale Pool, even though it is larger and in a nicer environment. For years, the Mountaindale Pool and the park has been ignored, poorly maintained and barely promoted. The entrance sign does not even mention the word pool. And the pool is not the only sign of neglect. Years ago, the tennis courts were also unexpectedly demolished and now pickle ball is the rage.
Fallsburg Future in August, 2026 published an alert that the Town of Liberty obtained a $1 million dollar grant to upgrade their pool. Has this administration made any effort to do the same? Has it made inquiries into the state program, NY Swims, a matching capital grant program to rehabilitate the pool among other types of grants? Has it contacted State Representative Paula Kay to assist in obtaining state funds to repair the pool?
There is a foreboding consensus in our town that somehow, in someway the town wishes to eliminate this park, to justify its closing despite its beauty and solitude. There has been no public discussions or plans about the future of the pool or park. This summer even the lake was declared off limit to swimmers. Many feel that the town wishes to wash its hands of the pool, the park and its problems much to the detriment of the town, its residents and their children.
One can only surmise that this estimate with its unsupported costs, by a marginal company seems entirely fabricated to justify closing the pool, an opening prelude to abandoning the park.
What concerns us most is the major lack of leadership from the town. There were no statements decrying the “necessity” of closing the pool. There are no promises to insure that every effort will be made to restore the pool no matter how long it takes. There is only a deathly silence as to the fate of the pool and park, a quiet acquiescence to its untimely demise, and a deliberate hope that no one will mourn the loss of the pool nor fight for it to be rebuilt. This is not leadership. This gives credence to all the rumors surrounding the demise of the pool and park. The fix is in.
STP (Save the Pool) Mountaindale
Fallsburg's Future is a community network of concerned Fallsburg residents established in January 2016. Its Mission is to help guide the urban development of the town of Fallsburg and its five hamlets, to promote its sustainable economic development, protect the fragile beauty of its natural habitats and enhance the opportunities and quality of life for all its residents and visitors. We hope to curb the suburban sprawl that is threatening to overwhelm the town’s physical infrastructure and destroy the natural beauty that the area depends on for its future development. See us on Facebook and our website Fallsburgsfuture.com.