Community Corner

Mineola Pool Opens for 2013 Season

Dan Kopetic welcomed back as pool director.

The Mineola Village Pool opened for the 2013 season this past Saturday, it’s 52nd in operation, though without the traditional opening day splash from one of the village youth.

While no children were immediately at the opening of the pool, one person making a splash with his return is pool director Dan Kopetic, who is making his return after four years.

“The moment I got here today it felt like I never left and yet the pool has never looked more beautiful,” he said. “I always knew I’d be back here. ”

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In preparation for this year’s opening, village crews have been completing serious restorations to the pool and surrounding property after some of the area was damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

Though during his prior tenure as pool director, Kopetic had grappled with several instances of not having enough lifeguards on staff in order to keep the pool open full time, the facility does have a fully-trained staff of lifeguards on hand.

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“Thank you guys for taking care of the residents, the most precious thing that we have in the world is our kids,” Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said to the lifeguards. “It’s not the house, it’s not that car – although some of you guys might think that – it’s our kids. And when we come down to the pool and sometimes as adults we don’t always pay attention to what we should be paying attention for, you guys are that stopgap.”

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