The community of Milestone has raised nearly 40 per cent of the $225,000 needed to construct a new swimming pool this summer.

The current facility reached the point where it needed costly renovations and the community decided it might be better to invest in a new facility that would provide service for 30 to 35 years.

The new pool board established in December formed two sub-committees, building and finance, in order to expedite the progress of the project. The finance committee is raising the funds needed to complete the pool in time for a July 1 opening date. Hopefully, construction by Western Recreation and Development of Winnipeg will begin in April and be finished by the end of June.

"It's very preliminary, but construction is on schedule and the fund-raising is going as expected," said Ernie Audette, town administrator. "The community has been very supportive and we're very pleased with the way pledges have come in so far. The majority of the people in the community have been very positive about the project."

The finance committee is conducting a private pledge drive for the pool that it hopes to have finished by mid-April. The committee will canvass businesses as well.

The design for the new pool shows that it will be 30 feet wide and 75 feet long, the same dimensions as the existing pool. Due to the soil conditions in Milestone, the ECCO System 3000 will be used in construction, which incorporates a PVC membrane surface and allows for the recirculation plumbing to run in a crawl space where it would not be subjected to stresses from soil shifting.

Audette said that it is more important than ever to retain community services with so much talk about amalgamation. For the past 30 years the pool has provided recreation and health opportunities for individuals and families and has enhanced educational opportunities for school children. It is credited for providing employment and helping maintain the value of property and businesses in Milestone.