[ad_1]
Swimmers on Saturday were back in the water of the Exchange Pool in Chapel Hill more than a month after Tropical Storm Chantal forced it to close.
Swimmers at the pool said Saturday was a celebration for everyone who played a role in repairing it.
“It just feels nice to go to bed at night knowing Exchange is back,” said Exchange Pool Board Member Grace Witsil
Chantal ripped through central North Carolina in early July, bringing torrential flooding with it. Damages in Chapel Hill alone were estimated to be more than $26.5 million.
Flood waters and debris damaged the fences, ripped up concrete and filled the pool with mud. Wistil said in July the water damage was “catastrophic,” adding Chantal destroyed much of the concrete and infrastructure at the pool.
Witsil said she was unsure if reopening the pool would’ve been possible, but Exchange members and other volunteers around Chapel Hill all played a role in bringing the pool back, joining businesses that have begun reopening after the tropical system.
“It was just a really different summer, and now we’re here. It feels like it was worth it,” Witsil said. “You see everybody playing out there, and I see my kids jumping in and playing with their friends.”
Witsil said there are still some repairs needed, including at the kiddie pool, which is still closed, but there will be more gatherings at Exchange before summer is over.
[ad_2]