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The Grand Pond Plan
by the citizens as a
request to repair
Please understand...
Kids play in sand
We love our pond
Our park, our land
So -- hand in hand
We stand for sand
Ice in the winter
For skating, and...
We have a plan
We think it's grand
Grand with skating,
A pond and sand
There's even space
For a band
The Grand Pond Plan
No need to expand
Just give us what
Our forefathers planned
Refresh, restore
Our sand, our land
We beg, deplore.
Command, demand
Don't let it be
A park wasteland
For all the childrenof Cloquet
Young and old, without delay
Make Pinehurst the place
To swim, skate and play
Just like it was in the
Good Old Days.
Minnesota's sand-bottom
lined swimming ponds:
History:
The 27,000 sq. ft. swimming area, with its filtered and
chlorinated water and sand-bottom, provides the
citizens of Cloquet and visitors with
a placeto swim and play -
"the beach" is a real city gem.
The original sand-bottom swimming pond was constructed
in 1976 with grants from Land/Water Conservation Fund, National
Park Service and from the Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission.
The Park Board, at that time, wanted to create a
swimming pond that retained the configuration of the
existing pond, keeping a natural look by protecting trees
and grass areas as well as remaining environmentally
friendly. The swimming pond was also engineered to allow
for winter ice-skating.
After 28 years of use, the swimming pond developed problems.
It was closed in 2005. Plans were debated between
citizens, park commissioners and city council members.
In March of 2008, a decision was made by the
council to move forward with repairs based on research from
10 other sand-bottom swimming ponds in our state,
along with legislation developed by Representative Bill Hilty
and Senator Tony Lourey which would clarify the
definition of a sand-bottom swimming pond.
Swimming at Pinehurst Park will continue into the future thanks
to many dedicated citizens, the city council
and to our legislators for passing a bill allowing Cloquet and
other Minnesota sand swimming ponds to operate.
Construction went very well and the beach
reopened July 3, 2009.