UGA officials are proposing that a new swimming pool at Lake Herrick serve as a replacement for historic Legion Pool on Lumpkin Street. The new pool, the university says, will be smaller than 12,000-square-foot Legion Pool, but it will have many of the same things: a shade pavilion, a picnic area, a concession stand and lap lanes.

The one thing it won't have is swimmers from the Athens community, or their relatives, not directly attending or employed by the UGA.

Supporting documents were sent to Elizabeth Shirk, Environmental Review Coordinator for the Historic Preservation Commission of the Department of Natural Resources along with a letter, asking for permission to demolish Legion Pool.

Number 11 of the narrative included with a letter to Shirk says that "a new outdoor swimming pool will serve students, faculty and staff adjacent to existing recreational facilities off East Campus Road."

Legion Pool is open to anyone in the community who buys a membership in the Friends of Campus Life. This allow the card holder to pay the fee to enter Legion Pool, either buying a membership or paying for individual visits.

If the narrative is correct, that wouldn't be allowed at the new pool.

Grady Thrasher and Kathy Prescott, who were instrumental in fighting the university's quest to bring a controversial biological research lab to Athens, have written to Shirk about Legion Pool and the university's plans to demolish it. They oppose the demolition plan, saying that it doesn't make economic sense.

For a full text of the Thrasher/Prescott letter, click here.