2nd city lawmaker supports postponing Alteri Pool demolition

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWNY) - The Watertown city council plans to have the Alteri Pool at the fairgrounds demolished.

Some lawmakers say the city can’t afford three pools.

However, there has been pushback to save the pool.

Council member Ryan Henry-Wilkinson said Monday he will support council member Lisa Ruggiero’s resolution to postpone demolishing the pool.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on that resolution tonight (Tuesday).

Both Ruggiero and Henry-Wilkinson say they are concerned about a 1973 agreement made with New York state that partially funded the pool’s construction.

They say they want to look into restrictions on that grant money and meet the standards of state officials.

“I don’t have a problem waiting to find out from the state, so that way we are crystal clear that there is not any kind of claw back language in that grant from the ’70s,” Henry-Wilkinson said. “If it’s going to happen, that the pool will be demolished why are we going to add an expense because we didn’t wait two weeks for somebody from the state to get back to us.”

That resolution would also winterize the pool to protect it from damage.

We have reached out to the rest of the council, but have not heard back.

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