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Winchester Park Board praises smooth pool season, plans timed bathroom locks
Summary
At its July meeting, the Winchester Park Board said the pool season ran smoothly, credited guards and managers, and approved plans to install timed maglocks on park restrooms to cut vandalism while keeping daytime access.
The Winchester Park Board on Monday said this summer’s pool season went "very, very, very" smoothly and approved plans to install timed locks on park restrooms to reduce vandalism while preserving daytime access.
A committee member reporting on park operations praised lifeguards and the pool manager and said the splash pad had intermittent maintenance problems—clogged injectors behind pumps—that were fixed by staff member Shane. "We've had a great season," the committee member said, adding that most recreational activity will wind down in about two weeks when school resumes.
Board members discussed keeping the splash pad open until weather forces closure and making restrooms on Resident Street available on a timed schedule. The committee member said the new maglocks will "unlock at 7 in the morning and lock at 10 in the evening." The board also noted there are four cameras at the pool and said the locks are intended to reduce overnight vandalism while preserving daytime access; restroom availability on Labor Day was confirmed as still planned.
Members acknowledged trade-offs: limiting overnight restroom access could inconvenience late-night users, but the board emphasized potential savings in maintenance and replacement costs if vandalism declines. The board said it may extend the timed-lock approach to additional entrances if the pilot on Resident Street succeeds.
The board did not take a final vote on a broader rollout at the July meeting; members said they will monitor the pilot and return with observations at a future meeting.
