LOUDONVILLE — In 1978 the Village of Loudonville secured a 14-acre donation from Ed and Barb Haudenschild to develop a public swimming pool and greater recreational area.
The village had been keen to add a swimming pool for some time, and the Haudenschilds were happy to help make that dream a reality. Securing the land, however, ended up being the easy part of the process.
With the land set aside, in 1979 council began looking into ways to fund the estimated $639,600 needed for construction of the pool complex which would include a bath house, heated junior olympic pool, diving bay, kiddie pool, volleyball court, basketball court, and shuffleboard courts as well as outdoor lighting and a 57-car parking lot.
Council hoped to later add two tennis courts, a covered pavilion, playground, additional shuffleboard courts, horseshoe courts, a softball field, and more restrooms.
The village was approved for 50% funding through the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service and Ohio Department of Natural Resources office of Outdoor Recreation. The remaining 50%, minus the $60,800 market value of the land, would be raised by bonds issued and sold on behalf of the village.
Although council initially hoped to begin construction by the end of 1979, the HCRS funding was not approved until March of 1980 for a total amount of $350,900.
As the original estimates had expired, council accepted new bids on the construction of the project and was shocked to learn that the price tag went up over $100,000 more than expected, bringing the village’s share of the project to nearly $400,000 in addition to the $38,000 already spent on engineering and planning.
In July of 1980, council approved emergency legislation to issue notes and bonds to finance construction of the project, but was quickly met with a lawsuit from Bob Thompson questioning the “emergency necessity” of the legislation, as well as submitting a petition calling for the legislation to be put to referendum and allow the village taxpayers “to decide whether they want to assume the obligations of a pool and its operation.”
Thompson’s petition included over 500 signatures, far surpassing the one hundred signature requirement. Common Pleas Judge Paul Chorpening sided with Thompson and prepared a permanent injunction to halt construction, which would be issued the following Monday morning.
However, according to the Ashland Times-Gazette, council met that Friday night and amended two of the emergency ordinances, allowing the village to block acceptance of the petition.
At the emergency meeting, Thompson clarified that he did not necessarily oppose the proposed complex or location, but thought the taxpayers should have more of a say in the issue.
Council initially questioned why no opposition was raised in the two years leading up to that point, with the reply coming that it was too much work for senior citizens to climb the steps of city hall (an issue which would eventually force council to relocate to the Fire Department for public meetings).
The conversation quickly devolved into a verbal spat between Thompson and mayor Mel Shilling.
Resident James Derr, in attendance at the meeting, raised an alternative suggestion: when the new high school had been built in 1964, it was designed with the intention to eventually add an indoor swimming pool.
Derr stated that not only had the school offered to open the pool to public use, but that it would be indoors and therefore usable year round, and reminded council that a similar solution had been reached previously with construction of public tennis courts at the school.
Others in attendance showed frustration with the possibility of throwing away the HCRS funding that had already been approved, and council eventually finalized the amendments, which blocked acceptance of the petition and ultimately appeased Judge Chorpening.
In September of that year, Thompson filed a second suit against the village, this time with 18 petitions containing 306 signatures. The petitions were returned, without certification from the Board of Elections.
Judge Chorpening ordered the clerk to retain the petitions, and also found that the contracts between the village and construction company to be invalid, though Chorpening clarified it was not a permanent halt on construction. With construction tied up in a legal battle, costs on the project continued to rise.
Nearly a year and approximately $50,000 in legal fees later, Chorpening dismissed Thompson’s lawsuits (three in total) and permitted the project to continue.
With good news finally in the headlines, public support began pouring in for the fundraising campaign spearheaded by Arnold Girbach: Rotary Club, Farmers and Savings Bank, and Hugo and Mabel Young Foundation all pledged $10,000, First National Bank, Warren and Leona Drouhard, Haudenschild Insurance, and Ted and Pat Byerly each gave $5,000 or more, and dozens of other businesses and citizens followed suit.
In total, over $165,000 had been donated or pledged to help meet the village’s remaining share of the total $725,000 in construction cost.
Finally, on May 23, 1981 the Loudonville Pool Complex opened to the public.
Elaine Van Horn served as manager, with Chris Coon, Tim Koppert, Rob Vickers, Tom Zook, Gwen Puster, and Brian Mitchell as the first lifeguards.
Seasonal passes to enjoy the pool were $55 for Loudonville families, $60 for other L-P district families, and $70 for outside families. Daily rates were $2 for adults, $1.50 for students and free for seniors or toddlers.
More information on the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum can be found at this link.
