SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Scranton officials celebrated the grand opening of the renovated pool at Nay Aug Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, reopening the facility for the first time since its closure in 2019.
The new pool opened as Phase I of the city’s pool complex project, which cost an estimated $4.6 million. The project was funded through a combination of $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, a $1 million Local Share Account statewide grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and city funds.
Mayor Paige Cognetti said the renovated pool was designed to bring a long-awaited amenity back to Nay Aug Park while keeping future maintenance costs in mind.
The facility includes a zero-entry swimming pool with an industrial slide, water play features and other site improvements. Cognetti said the pool’s design was meant to make the space accessible for young children, new swimmers and families.
“It is a pool that is made for young children to be safe. You see how that walkway goes right into the pool. When the pool gets busier, the lifeguards go there. Lifeguards are never more than a few feet, really an arm’s length away from any of the kids. So it gives parents, I can attest to this, peace of mind that kids who don’t know how to swim yet, or even adults who don’t know how to swim, are going to be able to enjoy this amenity,” said Cognetti.
Cognetti said many families had waited years for a pool to return to Nay Aug Park. She described the reopening as a morale boost for Scranton, bringing a new generation to the park.
The city is still seeking funding for Phase II of the Nay Aug pool complex, which is planned to include a lap pool and a detached splash pad. The project requires an estimated $3 million to $4 million for the lap pool and about $1 million for the splash pad.