Waltham's Greene Pool Closing Aug. 6; City Faces Community Backlash

The Greene Pool, located at the Fernand Center in Waltham, is scheduled to close down on Aug. 6, according to signs.

But some of the city’s community isn’t happy about the announcement, reports My Fox Boston, which said that some are arguing that the closing is robbing special needs students a “valuable resource.”

The pool, which is located in a former state mental health facility, is aging, and the city says it is too unsafe to remain open.

Parents such as Kathy Rizzacasa told Fox that the pool provides one of the few places her son, who is 19, can go to feel happiness. The boy has epilepsy and began swimming there as a youngster with the Special Olympics. He goes to the pool for swim therapy.

The city is offering eligible swimmers vouchers to attend private facilities, and points to other state facilities that can be used.

Residents have been concerned about the threat of Greene Pool closing for years, as is evident by postings on sites such as Wonderbaby.org, urging citizens to save the pool from closing.

Formed in 2003, the Fernald Working Group combined Waltham organizations to convene and inform Waltham residents about the needs for a community-based plan for the reuse of the Fernald Center site.

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