In 1977, with much of the funds from the City of Presque Isle and the Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, construction began on the Presque Isle Indoor Pool on Mechanic Street in Presque Isle.
Located on the Northern Maine Fairgrounds through a generous lease agreement, the pool first opened for swimmers a year later. However, many might not recall that when it opened that spring morning in 1978, it was not as an indoor pool at all, but rather an outdoor one. It was utilized all that summer as an outdoor pool and it wasn’t until after the summer season that the final construction began on its enclosure.
In April of 1979, after a long winter’s work, the Presque Isle Indoor Pool opened as an actual indoor pool.
For the past 30 years the Indoor Pool has proven not only to be a great asset to our community, but communities throughout the county.
From Fort Kent to Houlton individuals come to take part in our programs. Some of the programs include over a dozen levels of swim lessons, life guarding certifications, water exercise classes, water safety instructor, kayak rolling, swim team, Special Olympics and many more. Our pool has been offering dozens of programs for infants to seniors and has served hundreds of thousands of swimmers since it first opened. In fact, since 2000 it has averaged over 44,000 users per year.
Unfortunately, as with all older facilities, our pool is in real need of some attention. As equipment and structures age, improvements and replacements often need to be made. Our pool is no different.
The increases in gas and oil prices have directly or indirectly impacted nearly every aspect of people’s lives. Most of us are forced to carefully look at what we do and what we spend to adjust for this seemingly gaping hole in our pocket. How can we cut back? Can we be more efficient? Can we produce more income?
As one can imagine, these issues are hitting city departments as well as our citizens. How do we as a city cut back, be more efficient and/or produce more income? One maybe drastic but simple way is to cut or eliminate services we offer. Close the Indoor Pool, give away the Forum, or stop sanding the roads, are actually a few of the thoughts out there. However, I think most would agree that Presque Isle is a service community, and those services we provide are of great value to its citizens.
One of those great services of true value is the Indoor Pool. The Recreation & Parks Advisory Board believes so, as does the City Council as they recently approved the necessary renovations to improve the pools’ efficiency and extend its years of use. Over the next few months many of these improvements will take place. The project will involve renovations to the locker rooms and lobby, including the addition of family changing areas.
Most of the changes will be to increase the facility’s efficiency and to improve its ability to recover heat properly. These improvements include replacing the boilers, air handlers, filter system and lighting. The installation of automation controls and a pool cover is also planned. The combination of many of these enhancements will drastically reduce the facility’s current usage of heating oil by 50 percent or more.
With the completion of these renovations, users will experience a facility with increased safety, comfort, efficiency and aesthetics as well as the ability to continue to enjoy the pool for years to come.
Chris Beaulieu is director of Presque Isle’s Department of Recreation and Parks. He can be reached at 764-2545 or via e-mail at chrispirec@maine.rr.com.
Contributed photos
INDOOR POOL WAS OUTDOORS — Individuals enjoy one of the first commercial sized “Indoor” pools in Aroostook County in the spring of 1978. By the fall of 1978, contractors were busy at work to enclose the pool with a concrete building. 
