OCEAN CITY — Late Monday morning at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center, swimmers were anxiously waiting in their bathing suits for the pool to reopen.
It was closed for two months for renovations to re-plaster the interior of the pool, install tiled lane markers at the bottom and replace the decking with a soft rubber surface.
Shortly before noon, Mary Fondi and Michelle George also sat in the bleachers as a crowd of officials, including Ocean City Council members, Cape May County Commissioners and Rep. Antwan McClellan, crowded around Mayor Jay Gillian poolside. He was one of the senior swimmers. Gillian helped retired physician Fred Weber cut a large red ribbon to commemorate the reopening.
Swimmers Michele George and Mary Fondi wait for the pool to reopen.
“I’m excited,” George said.
“It looks really nice and clean. I can’t wait to get it wet,” Fondi added. “I’ll drive across the bridge, walk along your beach, and then come to the pool. Thank you very much!”
“We have water fitness classes at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.,” George said.
“During the 11 o’clock class, the mayor interrupted us, so we had to wait until 12 o’clock (today). We didn’t mind,” Fondi said with a smile.
They laughed when I asked if they had considered pushing him in to get things going. “It was discussed, depending on how long[the ceremony]was,” the two joked.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian attends the pool reopening ceremony at the Aquatic and Fitness Center on October 7th.
The mayor kept his remarks brief, thanking members “first and foremost” because they were the ones forced out by the pool closure.
Gillian said everyone has benefited from this work and thanked the contractors, Capri Construction of Vineland, Aquatic & Fitness Center staff and the city team for completing the project on time. He said he did.
The sign below the scoreboard reads “Mazzitelli Natatorium.” Gillian said the pool was dedicated to the late Tony Mazzitelli, who had muscular dystrophy and passed away several years ago. He added that the pool has affected so many people, including Mazzitelli, who frequented it.
Gillian said the city doesn’t educate people enough about how to name things. He called the Mazzitelli family “a great Ocean City family.”
Mayor Jay Gillian and retired surgeon Fred Weber cut the ribbon Oct. 7 to reopen the pool at the Aquatic and Fitness Center.
A city spokesperson said the project was started due to a failure in the main drainage pipeline under the pool, but the mayor said other work was also done to maintain the pool “for generations to come.” Ta.
The project cost was $792,000.
The pool accommodates Ocean City High School’s varsity swim team, youth swim team, Special Olympics, senior athletic programs, scuba lessons, adult lap swimmers, and adult swimmers with spinal cord injuries or medical conditions. According to the city, members check into the facility more than 100,000 times a year.
The final work on the project, the installation of the pool equipment, is expected to occur in the coming weeks.
Mr. Weber is a retired thoracic surgeon after 50 years and enjoys part of his retirement at the Aquatic and Fitness Center.
“I really like the pool. I’ve been retired for 11 years and I spend it every day,” said the 78-year-old. “For two months, I had to swim somewhere else. I had to swim at JCC (Jewish Community Center) and Mainland (Community High School),” he said for the time being. Although he chose not to go to the bay or the ocean, he said he worked as a lifeguard when he was younger.
For more information about Aquatic and Fitness Center programs and memberships, visit us online at ocnj.us/AquaticFitnessCenter.
– Story and photos by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel Staff
