LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The only public pool in Louisville's west end was vandalized overnight in what a Metro Parks official is calling an "unfortunate situation."
It's one of the three public pools in Louisville. This one in particular has seen infrastructure and upkeep issues over the years.
Algonquin Pool, which has had random closures due to a reported lifeguard shortage, was broken into Saturday night, leaving a large hole in the pool's gate.
"On a day like today it's hot and people want to be in the swimming pool, we're going to do everything we can to make that happen," said Assistant Director for Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation Margaret Brosko.
A viewer sent WDRB News photos of the Algonquin Pool after it was broken into and vandalized Saturday night.
She said whoever broke into the city's pool threw picnic tables and bottles into the water and lit some firecrackers. There is also damage to the lifeguard room.
In May, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's proposed budget cuts forced the closing of four of Louisville's outdoor public pools for the summer. The city later reopened three of its pools, including Algonquin Pool, before Memorial Day.
The Norton Pool, 4201 Lee Ln., remains closed.
Brosko said each circumstance Algonquin Pool faces is coming at a cost she's willing to pay.
"We've done everything that we possibly could to get this pool open and provide more programming this season then we have in a lot of years past," she said.
A viewer sent WDRB News photos of the Algonquin Pool after it was broken into and vandalized Saturday night.
Those in Brosko's team who help maintain the pool say they refuse to see another closure without a fight.
"If you were here earlier in the day you would have saw our entire team literally walking the pools on our hands trying to clean up things that were inside the pool, cleaning up the pool deck area," Brosko said. "We're all committed to doing that because we want to make sure that this incident doesn't ruin it for everybody else."
Those who maintain the pool said the goal is to keep the public pool afloat, so that the children in the community can have a place to cool down this summer.
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