Photo by Susan C. Moeller Swimmers on the first ever Lyndhurst High School Swim team line up to dive into their lanes at a recent practice. The team swims in the new Lyndhurst Community Pool, located at the high school. The pool was built as a part of a shared services agreement between the Lyndhurst Board of Commissioners and the board of education.

By Susan C. Moeller / Senior Reporter

LYNDHURST (Nov. 26, 2009) — Construction of Lyndhurst’s pool is finished, and the brand new Lyndhurst High School swim team started using the facility Monday, Nov. 16 for practices.

Seventy students tried out for the team, and 55 of those made the cut, explained head coach Sean Frew in a poolside interview while students checked the fit on their new blue and gold swimsuits.

The team uses the pool each day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. After that, the facility is being rented to Leonia for their swim team practices, Frew noted.

“It’s very exciting because it’s our first year,” said Grace Anne Gigante, one of the LHS competitors. “I decided to try out because it’s a great sport to do.”

The swim team members are a mix of students who have already participated in LHS athletic teams and those who are new to competition, said athletic director Frank Servideo.

This year the Golden Bears will have an independent schedule that includes five or six home meets, Servideo said. He anticipates that LHS will be part of a conference with 37 teams next year.

Because the high school has 42-minute instruction periods, swimming has yet to be included in the physical education curriculum — there’s not enough time to get ready, get into the pool, have class and get out. But, Servideo said they are working on schedule adjustments that will allow for pool use in P.E.

The pool — which was constructed as part of a shared-services agreement between the municipality and school district — should be available for community use some time after the start of 2010, according to Commissioner of Parks and Public Property Thomas DiMaggio.

On Nov. 10, the Lyndhurst Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the creation of a pool utility that would allow for expenses and revenue related to the pool to be handled outside of the township’s regular operating budget, according to Mayor Richard DiLascio as he explained the ordinance.

The board is also in the process of hiring a community pool manager. Applications were accepted until Friday Nov. 20; no salary was listed in the advertisement.

The pool project began in late 2007, when DiLascio unveiled a unique shared-services agreement that would rely on the reallocation of money from special education costs to finance the creation of the Jefferson Community School and pool.

To date, $7,385,000 in bond ordinances have been approved for the pool and accompanying updates to LHS, according to Debbie Ferrato, Lyndhurst’s chief financial officer.

“It’s a beautiful facility,” Servideo said.