Plans for the long-awaited community pool and poolhouse at Eddie Collins Memorial Park are moving into the construction phase, with village officials aiming to open the facility by summer 2027.
The Village Board of Trustees hopes to hold a ceremonial groundbreaking in July as part of Millerton’s 175th anniversary celebration. With contracts for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work now approved, construction is expected to begin in August.
The project has been in development since March 2024, when the village first unveiled plans to renovate Eddie Collins Memorial Park. Funding accelerated later that year after the village secured a $6.4 million grant through New York’s NY SWIMS capital program to construct a community pool, poolhouse with bathhouse facilities, community room and septic system.
The project received an additional boost in December 2024, when the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation awarded the village a matching grant of up to $675,000. In March 2025, the Foundation for Community Health contributed a $23,557 grant to help cover administrative costs associated with the project.
Then in February of this year, the Village revealed final designs for the pool. The structure is intended to withstand heavy seasonal use and support year-round community programming.
The pool design includes several features aimed to appeal to a wide range of ages, including a waterslide, diving board and water-play elements for children.
The proposed layout includes a sloped, shallow entry area with young children and accessibility in mind, a mid-depth section and a deep end designed to accommodate a diving board, officials said.
The plans also include a kitchen area that can support concessions and special events with outside vendors – a revenue stream village officials hope will offset operational costs.
The park’s first swimming pool was installed in 1966 in the rear southwestern corner of the park. Over time, the high water table lifted and cracked the pool. Groundwater infiltration prevented the pool’s water from heating up even on hot summer days.
The renovations to Eddie Collins Memorial Park have been a hit with residents so far. Construction on Phase 1 — regrading of the park, a new entrance and paved parking areas, a soccer field, accessible playground upgrades, new basketball courts and pavilion improvements — was completed in 2022.
Additional reporting provided by Aly Morrissey.
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Shirts from Peggy Mercury’s first fashion line, “Imaginary Concerts,” hang on display.Provided
