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Penn Hills School District hosts official reopening of Linton Middle School pool | TribLIVE.com
Penn Hills Progress

Penn Hills School District hosts official reopening of Linton Middle School pool

Haley Daugherty
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Haley Daugherty | TribLive
Penn Hills High School swim team members Gianna Pernatozzi (left) and Dulce Hernandez, both 16, dive into the newly reopened Linton Middle School pool during practice Dec. 11.
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Haley Daugherty | TribLive
Kingsley Nwachukwu (left) and Anthony Sipple, both 17 and members of the Penn Hills High School swim team, prepare to dive into the newly reopened Linton Middle School pool during practice Dec. 11.
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Haley Daugherty | TribLive
Penn Hills High School swim team members Gianna Pernatozzi (left) and Dulce Hernandez, both 16, prepare to dive into the newly reopened Linton Middle School pool during practice Dec. 11.
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Haley Daugherty | TribLive
Kingsley Nwachukwu (left) and Anthony Sipple, both 17 and members of the Penn Hills High School swim team, stand on the blocks of the newly reopened Linton Middle School pool during practice Dec. 11.
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Courtesy of Penn Hills School District
Penn Hills School Board Vice President Jackie Blakey-Tate (left) and President Erin Vecchio cut a ribbon to signify the offiicial opening of the Linton Middle School pool.

After two years of inactivity, the large pool at Linton Middle School is back in business.

School district leaders gathered at the pool for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 11.

The project cost the district just under $650,000 out of the capital funds budget.

School board President Erin Vecchio reminisced about her time as a Penn Hills student and how she would use the pool as well.

“We want the kids to learn. We want the kids to be able to have a safe environment and enjoy themselves and enjoy that pool,” Vecchio said.

She said the pool’s completion was one of the district’s goals for the year.

The pool had been inoperable because of maintenance issues and repairs since the spring of 2022. During the closure, the Penn Hills swim team hosted home meets at the Olympic Swim & Health Club.

The pool underwent upgrades and repairs over the past few months, including new decking and pool drains, a complete ceramic tile update, a new filtration system and a new pool heater.

Fixes are underway for the small pool at Linton, which had closed alongside the large pool.

It is getting new drains, a custom liner and new decking.

School board Vice President Jackie Blakey-Tate said local first responders and fire departments also will be using the area to train for rescues.

The district plans to rent the pool to outside groups such as senior living homes and for swim lessons, Vecchio added.

“It’s really a positive move for our community,” Blakey-Tate said.

Haley Daugherty is a TribLive reporter covering local politics, feature stories and Allegheny County news. A native of Pittsburgh, she lived in Alabama for six years. She joined the Trib in 2022 after graduating from Chatham University. She can be reached at hdaugherty@triblive.com.

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Categories: Local | Penn Hills Progress
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