PERSPECTIVE: Political Ineptitude Idles East St. Louis Pool Project
Date Posted: July 31, 2025
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas,
From St. Louis American: For over a decade the children of East St. Louis have endured the blistering heat and humidity of summer with no public pool, splash pad or aquatic recreational facility.
However, this summer was to be very different, with the construction of a $8.9 million pool project in Lincoln Park, in the city’s south end.
With a pool, water slides, a splash pad and pool in full view behind a fortress of pad locked chain-link fencing, the community looked forward to its grand opening, just as 100-degree temperatures invaded the St. Louis region.
But to their extreme disappointment, work was halted back in June, when most other area pools were opening for the summer season.
First, it’s always good news when politicians assure us that they’ve not stolen any money, especially when they’ve not yet been accused.
Conflicting Stories
The reasons? Well, that depends on what you believe. The East St. Louis Parks District, led by director Michael Collins, initially said (of the shutdown) that the State of Illinois has frozen funding until the Park District completes an independent audit.
According to the Illinois Department of Commerce, that audit was due back in August 29, 2024. That was nearly a year ago!
Meanwhile, Collins claims that, because of the frozen funds, contractors for the project were sent home until the matter is resolved. His expectation is that the audit will be completed by August 1.
That contradicts a story by Chris Hayes of Fox 2 News, in which contractors claim that it was they who threatened and, ultimately, walked off the job, leaving the project in its current state of incompletion.