The Newburgh Free Academy boys’ and girls’ swim teams can expect another season of road meets as the renovation of the pool at Newburgh Free Academy’s main campus isn’t expected to be completed in about a year.
According to Newburgh Enlarged City School District spokeswoman Cassie Sklarz, the pool’s renovation continues to progress on schedule and within budget.
All demolition work has been completed and preparation is under way to prepare the area for the new material and equipment that needs to be installed.
One key aspect of the project includes priming and painting the roof deck above the spectator seating area. The district also received the ductwork, which is being primed before it is installed into the system.

The base of the pool excavation and the installation of the new underground piping has been completed.
Sklarz also said delivery of new pool processing equipment has been anticipated in the next week, and aesthetic material have been selected and ordered.
Two additions were made to the project that were not in the original budget, and that includes the locker rooms and the visitors’ bathroom.
Roger Ramjug, the district’s Director of Maintenance and Efficiency told the Board of Education’s Building and Grounds Committee on Sept. 22 that both were well under budget due to decisions made about the surrounding pool tile.
The Board of Education also approved on Oct. 13 a nearly $645,000 change order to enable to renovation of Alternate Locker Room #1.
The pool has been closed since February 2019 when a leak in the main drain was discovered. The renovation was passed in May 2019 as part of the district’s capital project.
The closure of the pool forced both the girls’ and boys’ swimming teams on the road for both practices and swim meets during the 2019-20 school year. They’ll be on the road again for all this season.
The girls’ season, which ordinarily takes place in the fall, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved low- and moderate-risk sports to play starting on Sept. 24, the Section 9 Athletic Council voted to postpone the fall season to March and April.
The winter boys’ preseason is scheduled to begin on Nov. 30, two weeks after it was originally scheduled to begin.
Despite the pandemic, the Goldbacks have a place to practice.
“We have an agreement with a pool in the area for when that time comes,” Sklarz said.
Construction is expected to be completed around the middle of March before the pool is filled with new water. New and initial water chemical treatment is expected to last about a month before the pool is ready for use.