Record rains washout pool season in Morgantown

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The books have been closed for the BOPARC pool season and weather is being blamed for estimated $12,000 operating loss at the Krepps and Marilla Park pools. MetroNews Accuweather has reported 5.69 inches of rain in August and another 5.11 inches in July either sent swimmers to the Mylan Park Aquatic Center or to pursue other indoor activities.

BOPARC Executive Director, Melissa Wiles told board members things were very busy leading up to July, then the rains came.

“Were victims to the weather when it happens and I’m sure that was part of it, we just didn’t have very good second half of the season,” Wiles said.

Season pass purchases were down while daily admissions increased and operating costs were as expected for 2022. Wiles told the board in 2021 the pools generated about a $2,000 profit for the year.

“We did have to raise our lifeguard wages because there is a shortage of lifeguards and we’re in a very competitive market at this point,” Wiles said.

The beginning of the swimming season was when gas prices rampaged to a $5 peak and the cost of all other goods skyrocketed. As gas prices began to fall the rain came, but the cost of other necessities continued increasing.

“I’m sure going to the pool is considered an extra activity that you could cut out of your budget if you need to,” Wiles said.

Wiles told the board some of the receipts could have been miscoded at the point-of-purchase. She explained the summer staff is tasked with many different duties and an error could be an answer to part of the loss.

“I would like to dig further into the actual coding when we translate that to our accounting system to make sure that coding is correct,” Wiles said.