Council Wants to Swim at Peaked Hill

By BRIEN HEFLER

The Chilmark town affairs council is proposing construction of a municipal pool on town land at Peaked Hill, but first the council needs approval from town selectmen for a proposed warrant article.

The warrant article is set to be reviewed by selectmen at their next meeting on August 30. If approved, the article will be placed on the warrant for a special town meeting on Sept. 26. If voters approve, the town affairs council hopes to begin soliciting designers and funding for the project, estimated to cost $200,000. The council is the nonprofit organization that runs the Chilmark Community Center.

Council chairman Walter Epstein said yesterday that the idea for a municipal pool came about out of necessity. He said for the last 10 years the community center, which offers a packed schedule of programs for children and adults throughout the summer months, has not been able to host water safety programs for town children. Mr. Epstein said in the past, private pool owners would grant use of their pools but increased concerns about liability have left pool owners leery.

"Everybody is worried about liability," he said, "It's just been impossible to run a water safety program without a pool."

Mr. Epstein said the alternative of holding swimming programs at town beaches has proved impractical because of the number of children enrolled in the programs and surf conditions.

If the council is granted use of the land through a lease, Mr. Epstein said the community group hopes to build an Olympic-sized, heated pool. The pool will be used during daylight only with no diving. Bathroom facilities are also planned.

"What we are proposing at the start is a very compact program which could always be expanded in future years," he said, "The feeling is, if we are going to build it, we should build something that will meet any potential needs over a period of time."

The proposed site for the pool is on a parcel of land purchased by the town in 1992 after a subdivision planned for the area went bankrupt. In 1987 the Peaked Hill Pastures Reality Trust created a subdivision at Peaked Hill with 24 lots, but the subdivision was never built. The 141-acre property was later purchased jointly by the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, the town of Chilmark and David Flanders. The town bought 26 acres and designated two youth lots on the property. Two houses have been built on the lots. Past plans for the land have included tennis courts, a soccer and softball field but all were turned down at town meetings.

Town executive secretary Timothy Carroll said yesterday that the selectmen have not seen a completed warrant article yet. He said the question must come in front of voters because it involves leasing town land.

Mr. Carroll said the council has made it clear that it wants to share the pool with the town, but operating costs remain to be seen. The pool project would also have to come under review by the Martha's Vineyard Commission, because the Peaked Hill development project was previously reviewed as a development of regional impact (DRI).

Mr. Epstein was quick to point out that the pool is only in the early stages of planning.

"My understanding is that there will be a warrant at the next town meeting authorizing the selectmen to go forward with negotiating with the council for the development of this project," he said, "That doesn't mean the project is approved, that means the selectmen are authorize to negotiate."

The idea for a town pool has been considered by the council in the past. Mr. Epstein said the council decided to move on the project this year after receiving positive feedback, and to mark the 50th anniversary of the community center.

"It wasn't so much the land as whether or not the town had an interest to have a facility like this on town land. It's something that only makes sense if people are excited about it and feel it is a major plus for the community, and that's the sense I have now," Mr. Epstein said.