Tuesday, June 4, 2013

OPTION 1 EXAMINED.
Bursting bubbles- understanding the past to make better decisions in the future.


The Cheshire Pool Evaluation Committee is tasked with examining all options with regard to the pool. Some may be less popular than others but ALL possibilities, in the interest of fairness, have to be examined. That includes the reinstalling an air supported bubble. Here is a snapshot of examining this option.

Sheila Adams, Aquatic Director, brought a wealth of information and experience to the meeting of 5.2.2013. Ms. Adams provided an overview of its recent history, structure and performance and gave the public a good starting point on which to analyze solutions.

This January during the record-setting blizzard 6 bubbles came down in Connecticut. Cheshire's bubble was the only one totaled. All the others are back up and operational. Cheshire's is not the biggest bubble, nor is it the only pool facility that was impacted by this incredible storm.  It appears that it's the bubble’s inner support structure that was at fault. The giant stanchions, that are unique to the Cheshire pool punctured the bubble rendering it beyond repair.

 Cheshire, by virtue of its inner support structure,  cannot drop the bubble in the face of a storm.  It was totaled as soon as it came down. "The biggest issue is once the dome comes down the building official deems the building to be condemned. No one can go out on deck; the support structure cannot be removed and the bubble must be cut down". "Ms. Adams explained that if we did not have the current interior support structure, the bubble could have been repaired- both times." (minutes 5.2.13). Two of the six collapsed bubbles in the state were taken down intentionally (Northford and Winsted). Cheshire cannot do this because of the unique support structure inside the building.

The committee examined the support structures of Wilton, Madison, Winsted, Northford and Tolland. Those without the large wire stanchions that are at the Cheshire Community Pool, did well. Building codes dictated the engineering design of the Cheshire pool. Danbury has a larger bubble without stanchions. It's not our size that's the issue. It's that we did not have an exemption to the code.

Ms. Adams consulted the manufacturer of the bubble during the storm and was told that without the large support columns they would have advised the staff at CCP to drop the bubble to the ground thus avoiding the collapse. Sheila also noted that the bubble made it through the hurricane.

After this most recent failure of the bubble Ms. Adams sought a variance from the code requirements to prevent this situation in the future.  On May  9 "Sheila Adams noted that a modification was received from the State for the approval to remove the interior support structure from the bubble. By allowing this modification the bubble will have to have a redundant backup blower to back up the main blower and must keep the bubble at least 7 feet off the pool surface for 20 minutes per the building code. A generator would be required for the pool blower only".

Friends of Cheshire Pool supports a VIABLE year-round solution. We eagerly look to examine the other options being pondered. Again we reiterate that the common consensus in our town is that the pool is a good thing. The Evaluation Committee must put forth a viable option for Cheshire's Community Pool.


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