THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2008

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Final Dip For Oakton Pool Diving Well

The end of an era began last Thursday, May 8, as crews began demolishing the Oakton Pool's diving well and tower.

American Demolition Corp. crews that morning began taking down the Park Ridge Park District structure---a familiar site at Oakton Park for nearly 40 years. While the lap and leisure pool will remain open, the diving tower and well were considered too shaky to remain. Plans have been in the works for the tower since it was shut down in 2005 due to structural failure. Two failed referendums in 2006 sealed its fate and in 2007, the City of Park Ridge sent a letter to the park district requiring it to demolish the well and tower. Once the area is cleared, it will be filled in and grass will be planted.

"It is with mixed emotions that the day has come to remove the diving well and tower from the Oakton pool complex," Park Board President Dick Barton said. "I, like many others, fondly remember days jumping or diving off the tower. It has become, over the years, somewhat of a landmark and more recently a symbol of former glory days of the Oakton pool. Barton added that the regular pool at Oakton will remain open to residents as long as it remains safe.