By Mayor Kristin Smith
Giddy, ecstatic, and overjoyed are some of the words I am hearing Cordovans use to express how they feel about having our beloved pool open again. Within thirty minutes of opening again, after 16 months of Cordovans not being able to splash in the Bob Korn Memorial Pool, the number of swimmers reached the on-duty lifeguards’ capacity.
The quest to identify and repair a mysterious leak in the pool began in May 2025, when the pool’s water levels kept dropping. Ultimately repairs were needed at three failure points: a failed gasket, a clogged return line, and a hole in the main plumbing, which forced an extended shutdown that also triggered a major foundation washout. Because the pool was out of service for so long while staff were diagnosing the leaks, the shifting underground water table was able to move in and out freely, eventually sweeping away the primary base of crushed stone and soil and leaving the structure unsupported.
Repairing the leak, and other parts of the pool’s drain and filtration system, has been a real team effort on the part of city employees and local and out-of-state contractors. The city’s Water Department staff deployed an in-line camera that finally spotted the pinhole leak in a drain pipe. Petersons became involved after the hole in the main plumbing was located and the decision was made to open the aluminum shell to repair it. Most of the pool’s plumbing is located behind the aluminum shell making it costly and time consuming to repair. They returned and supported us after the washout and re-leveling of the deep end foundation repair. A RenoSys technician made two trips to Cordova in 2025 to guide the process of cutting in to the liner and advising on the correctntechnique for its repair.
The original liner replacement included re-leveling a corner of the deep end that had settled over time. Because it had not been level for an estimated 14 years, staff were not ever able to fill it to the level needed for filtering correctly. After this fix, with a corrected water level, staff learned that years of accumulated debris created a clog in that plumbing. Staff also learned that due to the way the pool was constructed, this line was not accessible to clean out without cutting into the aluminum shell all around the gutter area of the drains.
On behalf of the city and all of its swimmers – which range from months old infants to 80+ lap swimmers – thank you to Samantha Hagerthy-Schneider, especially, and all those who worked extra hours, came in on weekends and holidays, to check on leaks, repairs and water levels/chemistry to help restore this vital recreation asset for Cordova. Our beautiful pool, with its 360° mural by local artist Jen-Ann Kirchmeier and a team of Prince William Sound College students and volunteers, new lobby carpet, and clean locker rooms, is now open again to recreational and team swimmers, our IceWorm Swim Team and their visiting challengers.
At the same time as all this work was being done, the Parks & Recreation Department staff have been diligently spiffing up our recreation facilities all around town. Have you noticed the new signs at the Fisherman’s Memorial, and at Hollis Henrichs Park? And how well-kept our outdoor recreation areas are, no cigarette butts or litter lying around?
Parks and Rec staff are a regular sight around town, changing the banners on the light poles on First Street, maintaining the Hollis Henrichs park’s grassy field, and tending to the fish cleaning station on New England Cannery Road. The Bidarki Recreation Center has more workout equipment than ever and a layout that makes great use of the space, especially the cardio machines in the light-filled upstairs gallery.
These improvements don’t happen by accident. They take strong, committed leadership, and for that we are deeply grateful to our Parks and Recreation Department staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission. Thank you for contributing so much to Cordova’s quality of life!
Kristin Smith is the mayor of Cordova.
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