News

Bottineau's swimming pool turns 40 years old

By Heather Milbrath

07/17/2012

“It was hot, and it was sunny, but what could be better for the opening of the Bottineau Community Pool.” Bottineau Courant 1972.

This year the Bottineau Pool is celebrating 40 years since it first opened its doors on June 11, 1972. To celebrate the 40 anniversary, the Bottineau Community Pool will be holding a free swim day to the public on Thursday, August 2.

The Bottineau community was very excited when the pool opened, which was made evident in an article in the Bottineau Courant on June 14, 1972. The Courant stated: “Hundreds of youngsters, and a few older ones too, were on hand Sunday afternoon for the opening of the new pool, and all had a lot of fun.” The article goes on to say: “The new pool is gorgeous. That’s probably not a very descriptive term, but it is a beautiful pool.”

The building of the pool took much hard work from many members of the community. Plans for a public pool in Bottineau began in the late 1960s, and eventually these plans made their way to the city council.

Harvey Hoff, who served on the pool board for many years, was part of much of the planning.

“There was no place for anyone to swim in town before the community pool.” Hoff said. “Everyone would go to the lake, and we wanted to keep people in town if we could. At that time they were
bussing kids to the lake for lessons. So we decided to go through with plans for a community pool.”

The biggest factor for the pool committee was coming up with enough money to construct it. One strategy used to raise money was door-to-door donations from local citizens and businesses. From the 400 who donated, over $43,000 was raised. The largest donation came from First National Bank, totaling $2,500. The money donated was matched by a grant from the State Bureau of Outdoor Recreation.

Along with donations, buttons were sold as a fundraiser for the pool. The first set of buttons sold said POO on them. Then once financial goal was closer to complete, the L button could be bought.
Another large factor in the pool planning was determining a location. The city council felt that the plot next to the school was the key location for the pool. The reason this location seemed so ideal was because it was intended to be used by the school, as well as the public. Although the school does not currently use it, Penny Nostdahl remembers when she used the pool during school.

“When I was younger we had to swim in the pool for Phy. Ed. and by that time of the year it was freezing.” Nostdahl said. “They also used to hold swim meets there, but it hasn’t been used by the school in years.”

When it was first opened, there were hundreds of children waiting to jump into the brand new heated pool. The first manager of the pool was Robert Anderson. There were also four lifeguards employed that first year, including John Nordgaard, Jim Olson, Linda Verke and Marie Doran.

“I learned to swim at that pool.” Nostdahl said. “We’d go there all the time, and it only cost 25 cents to get it.”

Nostdahl also remembers mulling over the breaks at the pool by purchasing chocolate candy bars and letting them sit out and melt. This seems to be somewhat of a tradition at the Bottineau Pool.

The pool has remained relatively the same as it was back in 1972, with a few minor changes over the years. The old slide was replaced in 2003. An ADA lift was installed this year, and a new filtration system for the wading pool is currently under construction.