COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Beginning in the 1950s, the Caldwell community pool has been the main source of entertainment for anyone trying to beat the Texas heat.
Since the passing of Carol Hughes, a Caldwell Recreation Association (CRA) Member, in 2017, the pool seems to have met its end. Rust, faded blue paint and the remnants of a small touch-up back in 2017 are what guests will find at the summertime retreat.
But thanks to the CRA, which is a local non-profit in the area, things might be making a turn for the better.
Current President of the CRA Kayla Johnson said she and her brothers spent every day in this pool when they were kids and seeing it in this condition today, is heartbreaking.
“It was life for us,” Johnson said.
“Every day at two o’clock our dad would come and pick us up and take us to the pool on his lunch break, I want that for my kids,” Johnson said, “I want my kids and other kids of the community to come to the pool and hang out with their friends every day, to just have fun and create memories as I had here in the pool.”
Right now, the pool is primarily members-only, Johnson said they want to change that so the fun can be more accessible by anyone in the Caldwell community.
“It’s kind of hard to do though because we don’t have the funds right now to make it a public pool and that’s where we are getting a bunch of negative feedback,” Johnson said, “We need more of the community to help to make it more public for other community members in Caldwell to enjoy the pool.”
One community member, and mom, who is stepping up to help is Marsha Kocurek.
Kocurek said she wants all the community kids to have the same access to the pool her kids had growing up, like being able to get swim lessons.
“It’s a life-saving tool to be able to swim and it’s important to not have to go to Bryan-College Station or seek out swim lessons somewhere else.”