City Hall was packed with students last night, no they were not there to answer a summons for a loud weekend party or pay a fine for an underage drinking or littering ticket; they were there to advocate in support of a community resource used by some of the poorest children in the Cortland area, Wickwire Pool.
 

The pool which serves thousands of people each summer is in dire need of some costly repairs to keep it open. The price tag has been pegged between $750 thousand and $1 million dollars. The City has been soliciting donations through the Youth Bureau, so far that effort has brought in $13 thousand dollars, a far cry from the money needed for the work.
 

City officials have applied for grant funds, but the application was denied; now the City is looking for ways to fund the repairs.
 

The Wickwire Pool opened at Suggett Park in 1946; it was a gift from former industrialist Charles Wickwire.
 

Seeing that the pool was in trouble SUNY Cortland Professor Carol Kaltefleiter who teaches new media communications courses encouraged her students to get involved with efforts to preserve the community resource.
 

Over the past couple semesters the students have developed a media hub including videos and other information about the pool and its value to the community. The students have even come up with fundraising ideas such as a concert on campus, a 5k fun run to generate money for the project.
 

City Youth Bureau Director John McNerny is encouraged by the student participation and welcomed the fundraising proposals.
 

Students also suggested listing the renovation project on the international charity website Hope Mob to raise money, and work with local restaurants to develop a dine out day where a portion of each customer’s bill is donated to support the project.
 

To see the students work or to get involved in the restoration project log on to wickwirepoolproject.com.