Events

According to Tom Salemi, Blogger's Day is coming up. He does not say when, but I'll take a Fowle's t-shirt as well. Make mine pink. Thank you.

One thing that is definitely coming up is the re-opening of the pool at the YWCA. I have been invited to attend the re-opening festivities on May 19 so I can give you all the lowdown on the spiffiness of the new facility before the local paper even hits the presses.

As we in Newburyport know, the pool has been closed for about a year now. Last year, the Y held a "Last Lap" event and now they are having a "First Splash" bash.

I don't know if they are going to have the swim-off again between Newburyport and our arch rivals to the north, Amesbury. Last year, in spite of their best efforts, the Port team (headed up by the Mayor) lost to Amesbury.

There was a little skulduggery involved, I think. For one, Amesbury threw in some ringers at the last minute. Kendra Amaral, Kezer's chief of staff, was even crowing about it beforehand. The nerve.

And Kezer (Amesbury mayor) wasn't even there. Claimed he had Reserve duty or something.

Here's what I wrote for the Current at the time:

Here are the top five ways you know your swim relay team is in trouble, even before it hits the water:

· When asked if he’s a swimmer, team member responds, “I wouldn’t call me that.”
· Team member asks for help finding the wall at the other end of the pool.
· Other team has two members who look like winners of youngest, fittest guy contest -- your team doesn’t.
· Other team’s chant is, “Who let the dogs out?” – your team is chanting, “We’re number two!”
· Other team has four former lifeguards, one of who was captain of the University of New Hampshire swim team.

Plans include upgrading the four-lane swimming pool using the existing foundation, adding a therapy pool heated to 92 degrees, upgrading both locker rooms, and creating a new fitness center using part of the gym.

A new entrance from Titcomb Street, with parking, will allow for the small expansion necessary to fit the therapy pool and a playground using part of the current parking lot. Both entrances will be handicapped accessible and up-to-date technology and security systems will be installed.

Our mayor, by the way, was upset at me for saying he made the biggest splash going into the pool. It wasn't because he was the chubbiest, it was that he did a belly-flop. He still did good, though.

I think I still have the water-spotted notebook to prove my point.