WEIRTON — While city parks officials continue to plan for a renovation to the Starvaggi Memorial Pool, updated information on the potential costs, as well as available funding, could affect the project’s timeline.

The Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation has been discussing the renovations of the pool at Starvaggi Memorial Park for several years, citing its age and a consistent loss of water from within the pool vessel throughout the summer season.

Working with PMV/SASI Architect and Engineering, officials have been developing plans for the pool, to include a smaller footprint and zero-entry area. The latest efforts to bid the project, though, resulted in a lone viable bid package of $4 million, while the board had budgeted only $1 million.

Parks Executive Director Coty Shingle said that, as well as developments with other projects such as the Millsop Community Center’s south wall refurbishment, have put planning on the pool on a delay with an eye on what adjustments could be needed.

“There will be financial considerations to make,” Shingle said.

In September, the park board had raised the idea of taking a phased approach to the project, focusing first on replacing pool vessel, as well as plumbing leading to the pool, and then, at a later date, working on the replacement of the pool deck and filtration system.

“We may have to go back to the drawing board,” Shingle said.

In addition, much of the funding allotted to the park Board by a previous municipal administration for various recreational improvements already has been spent on other projects, which Shingle said could mean the board goes to the current Weirton Council to request additional assistance for when the pool project is able to move forward.

“They’ve been supportive and understanding,” he said.

Two members of city council — Ward 1 Councilmember Tim Connell and Ward 4 Councilman Rick Stead — serve as council representatives on the park board. They previously have indicated the potential exists to add additional funding for the pool.

Shingle has said there are plans to sit down with PMV in the early part of the new year to look at options and develop a new plan and timeline for the pool.

The park board previously had hoped to begin construction for the project this past summer or fall, and had planned for a shortened swim season as a result. However, because of developments with the bidding process, the pool remained open through mid-August.

There has been no decision on whether the pool will open, or have an abbreviated season, for this summer season.

Starvaggi Memorial Pool originally opened to the public in 1968.