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Somerville officials apologize for prolonged Jenny Smithers Pool closure; drainage, repairs and new communications promised
Summary
City Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Inspectional Services described a multi-week effort to diagnose a chemical imbalance at Jenny Smithers Pool, say the pool was drained April 3–7, and outlined next steps including replacement drains, refilling, ISC inspection and revised communications to users.
Director of Parks and Recreation Sue Yerkes apologized to the Somerville community for the prolonged closure of the Jenny Smithers Pool and said Parks and Recreation, the Department of Public Works and Inspectional Services are coordinating to reopen the facility safely.
"I take full accountability for actions by parks and recreation staff that contributed to the delayed pool inspection on 02/27/2025," Director Sue Yerkes said, adding that staff retraining and revised communications are under way.
Commissioner Joe Lathan of the Department of Public Works said DPW stepped in to drain the pool as a "reset" after repeated attempts to correct the water chemistry failed. "We started draining on the 3rd. We completed on the 7th," Lathan said. He told the committee DPW has ordered replacement drains that must be installed before the pool is refilled and cleared for use.
Officials described a sequence of troubleshooting steps taken between late February and April: repeated shock treatments, consultation with long‑term pool…
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