Public swim season starts this weekend

The only municipal-owned swimming pool in Oconee County will welcome swimmers on Saturday and maintain weekend hours until Memorial Day, when it will switch to its traditional daily schedule of swimming, swim lessons, and other aquatic events.  The Walhalla Pool on W. Main Street is operated for the city by the Foothills YMCA.  Last night the city council presented a resolution to Wayne McCall, recognizing the former county councilman for his work a few years back of restoring what had been deteriorated pool property back into service.  McCall thanks the mayor and council, but said he alone did not bring the pool back to life.  He credited the mayor, the county sheriff, and a representative from the county home builders, among others, who volunteered their services.  Inmates provided labor.  May is National Water Safety Month, and McCall extolled the value of swimming lessons.  Drowning can afflict members of all segments of the population and, as McCall put it, is no respecter of color.