Craig Daily Press

Craig — A crisis can spell opportunity.

American Legion Post No. 62 took the opportunity to replace their swimming pool’s heating unit in the face of crisis.

When the pool’s heat exchanger was discovered broken the morning of June 16, American Legion representatives decided it was time to fix the 15-year-old heating system.

The pool — which requires an optimal temperature in the mid-80s, per the building’s lease — has remained closed since the heat exchanger’s breakdown.

American Legion Commander Mel Shockley was vacationing when the pool unit ceased to function.

“I think I’m jinxed,” Shockley said. “Every time I’m out of town, something like this happens.”

Shockley’s rank as commander was required to authorize the acquisition of a new boiler. Shockley has worked on the problem since returning to town, overseeing the purchase and installation of the new boiler by Spa Country.

“If we had just bought a new heat exchanger and put it in the old boiler, it wouldn’t have worked very well,” Shockley said. “The old one was 250,000 BTUs and heated the pool about one degree an hour. Our new one is 325,000 BTUs and it heats two to three degrees every hour.”

Shockley said the new system will be more efficient than the previous one.

“It’ll be able to heat the water to capacity without straining,” he said. “The old one wavered sometimes, and this one will be more dependable. Shepherd & Sons has also done some work on the ducts for us.”

A shipping error further delayed the pool’s re-opening.

“We just got the pipes for the system,” Shockley said. “Once we get them installed, we’ll be ready to go. Hopefully, we’ll be able to open the pool again by Thursday, but Friday is more likely unless something unexpected happens.”

Shockley said he has received numerous phone calls from senior citizens waiting for the pool to re-open.

“Nobody has really complained,” he said. “They understand that we need time to fix it. They’re just really anxious to get back in the water. It’s a shame that the system had to break down just when the Arthritis Foundation program was starting.”

The aquatics classes of the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association’s “Aging Well” program have been delayed because of the pool’s closure.

Shockley said the incident is “not a disaster.”

“It’s been expensive, but at least we have a system that will maintain its integrity,” he said.