TAMPA, Fla. — Seminole Heights residents are pushing for the restoration of their community pool on North Central Avenue.

The Angus R. Goss Memorial Pool was closed over a decade ago.

What You Need To Know

  • Residents push to restore Angus R. Goss Memorial Pool back after a decade of being closed

  • The pool was demolished last year after it was determined that it was not ADA compliant

  • Residents have been advocating for the past 5 years to get is restored, raising $10,500 and completing surveys

  • The pool was named after a Seminole Heights native and Navy Cross recipient who was killed during WWII

Residents raised $10,500 and completed surveys to let people know how much they wanted it back. 

"It's sad to see it gone because this is where it is safely and centrally located," said Chrissy Taylor. 

Even though the Goss Memorial pool was closed, Taylor says it still holds a spot in the hearts and memory of many who live nearby. 

"This was the pool that everybody used growing up here in Seminole Heights," added Taylor.

Last year the pool was finally demolished after it was determined that it was not ADA compliant. 

For the last five years residents advocated for the pool to be restored.

The Angus R. Goss pool committee had three meetings with city consultants and completed two surveys in which 800 residents responded in favor of it. Cynthia Plemmons is the committee's project manager. 

"We thought we had a very representative sampling and the highest population represented were students," said Plemmons. 

The City of Tampa also commissioned it's own pool study to be included in their master plan. 

Still Plemmons says the pool's future is not certain. 

But, they're passionate about preserving the memory of Goss, a Seminole Heights native and Navy Cross recipient who was killed during WWII. 

"This is a memorial because his body is left in the New Solomon Islands," said Taylor. 

Taylor says this is more than just about having a community pool. 

"They memorialized this to keep his memory alive," said Taylor. "We're looking at this to regenerate. We got so many new families moving in. It's exploding here and this pool needs to come back."

The pool committee established a fund worth $10,500 and they're looking to the community to match that amount. 

The City of Tampa says it is reviewing the needs of its Park and Recreation Department as a whole. 

There are no set plans to renovate the Goss pool in the near future, but there are plans to enhance the existing dog park nearby.