Pershing County community swimming pool makes waves
They got a running start, pinched their noses and jumped. Landon Oberman, 9, Miley Canchola, 9, somersaulted and splashed in Lovelock’s community pool on Sunday. They had lots of company.
It was the first of three free swim days sponsored by the Frontier Community Coalition. The next two are on the Fourth of July and Aug. 8. The pool closes on Aug. 21, just a couple of days before PCSD starts the 2021-2022 school year.
For more information, look for recreation director Pat Rowe’s Summer 2021 booklet, now available at most local eateries. You can’t miss the bright orange cover designed by Lynda Quilici, a former Pershing County Kindergarten teacher.
It’s the swim season that almost didn’t happen. On May 15, 2020, at 4:03 a.m., a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Tonapah, shaking homes as far as Utah and California. The Monte Cristo Range earthquake was Nevada’s largest in 66 years. Six aftershocks followed, the highest a 5.1.
Since the quake occurred in a relatively uninhabited region 36 miles west of Tonapah near Mina, there were no fatalities. The tremors shut down U.S. Route 95 between Reno and Las Vegas for a while, swung some chandeliers and broke a few windows. Unfortunately, they also left their mark on Lovelock, cracking the community pool’s concrete walls.
Age has also taken a toll on the pool, which opened nearly 50 years ago, on July 4, 1974. But the earthquake added insult to injury. For a while, it looked like there would not be a swim season for the second year in a row. Lovelock braced itself for a long hot summer.
Initial estimates put the cost of repairs at $217,954. Of that, insurance would cover the quake damage, $31,643, leaving a price tag of $186,341. The recreation board prepared to pay the bill, although it would drain their coffers clear through the next fiscal year.
The community rallied to help cover the cost to the tune of $50,000. Donations, raffles, 5Ks, car washes, princesses in the park and street tacos raised $3,500 by mid-April. At press time, they’d raised $41,607 and change. Not bad for a Covid year. They’re still determined to meet their goal.
In April, Paul Nelson from Channel 2 News came to Lovelock and spoke to some residents about what the landmark meant to them. LPD Police Chief Mike Mancebo remembered swimming in the Olympic-sized pool as a boy. He now chairs the recreation board and sits on the school board.
Khloe Montes, 12, and Alexa Watson, 11, talked about feeling safe at the pool.
“Sometimes you play games with your friends and see who can jump the deepest and do the coolest tricks off the dive board,” said Alexa.
“I want it for my birthday party,” said Elijah Montes, 5.
Lifeguards Maya Renfroe, 17, and Raul Rincon, 17, shared some of their memories. Rowe estimates that over the decades, 400 teens had their first jobs watching over the younger swimmers.
Nelson’s reporting caught the eye of the William N. Pennington Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation in Reno. They decided to donate $178,000 to help repair the pool. All the other donations, fundraisers and raffle money will help update the bathrooms and diving board.
The recreation board breathed a sigh of relief. Now they’ll use their resources to support Frontier Days, adult softball, gymkhana and youth sports. Rowe’s booklet describes Lovelock’s summer activities. They include everything from youth rodeos to sewing circles.
Some things at the pool are different. The baby pool is closed. Lovelock, Yerington and Hawthorne’s swim teams won’t compete until next year.
But some things are the same. Kids get a running start, pinch their noses and dive into the water.
It’s going to be a great summer.
Who was William N. Pennington (1923-2011)
• Pennington grew up in Kansas during the Great Depression.
• His family lost their farm during the Dust Bowl years.
• He served as a bomber pilot in the Army Air Corps during WWII.
• Pennington became a successful entrepreneur and bought Circus Circus in Las Vegas. Later, he opened a Circus Circus in Reno.
• He had a near-fatal boating accident at Lake Tahoe when his boat capsized, and he laid under 25 feet of water for eight minutes. Doctors gave him zero percent chance of surviving, but he beat the odds.
• In 1989, he started the philanthropic foundation that bears his name.
• He died from complications of Parkinson’s Disease in 2011.
“Having grown up during the Great Depression, when my family faced hard times, I know well the hardship that can befall anyone at any time. During my years in business, I worked with thousands of wonderful employees, most of them Nevadans. Their efforts helped create this Foundation, and I hope the Foundation will, in turn, help the future generations of Nevadans for many years to come.”
— William N. Pennington