POWELL, Tenn. — A beloved Powell community staple is in desperate need of repairs. The Cricket Club Pool is showing signs of wear and tear and it's going to take a lot of money to fix.
According to Cricket Pool Club Treasurer Brittany Alexander, the pool has been around for nearly 60 years. And now, it's in need of upgrades.
"We're in need of major repairs, we're in the middle of those right now," Alexander said. "Just this season alone, we're looking at $16,000 to $18,000 worth of repairs."
Alexander said when it comes to all the repairs needed to bring the pool up to date, the price goes up to several hundred thousand dollars.
"To do a complete redo of the pool, to make an ADA accessible, to do a refit of all of our major systems and pretty much just refit the entire thing, we're looking at about $250,000 to $300,000," she said.
A single membership costs $150 and family memberships are $275 each season. Alexander said that's up $25 from last year for both levels. She said the increase is because the account balance is being used to pay for repairs.
Alexander said costs have also gone up for pool chemicals and other repairs, and there was a leak in 2023 that lead to a high water bill. The locks are changed and new keys are given out each summer, which Alexander said is another cost.
She said the club has money but has to rely on donations to stay open.
In order to raise money for these repairs, the Cricket Club is raising money in several ways, from a GoFundMe to t-shirt sales to movie nights. Checks can also be mailed to Cricket Club Pool P.O. Box 76, Powell, Tennessee 37849.
"We're gonna have a projector setup and you don't have to be a member to attend those," Alexander said. "[We] will charge a small fee for that will offer popcorn and projector and it'll be up into the community. And we'll probably have those every weekend."
Alexander said it's important to save the pool because it means a lot to the nearly 200 families who use it each year.
"People love it," she said. "It's a community treasure and it's been around for years and we would absolutely hate to lose it."
According to the pool club, it should open in the first few weeks of June.
Although the pool is located in the Broadacres neighborhood, Alexander said you don't need to live in that neighborhood to become a member.
"Anybody is welcome," she said. "They don't have to live in Broadacres neighborhood, anybody at all. We have people that live in all surrounding areas who have been repeat members every year."