Contact Information
- Physical Address: 260 N 10th Avenue, Elgin, OR, 97827
- Mailing Address: PO Box 218, Elgin, OR, 97827
- Pool Office: (541) 437-9542 (Seasonal, Open June-August)
- Main Office: (541) 437-5931
- Email: staff@elginparksandrec.org
- Website: https://sites.google.com/elginparksandrec.org/www-elginparksandrec-org/home
Pool History
The Jessie and Lee McDonald Memorial Pool
In Memory of Jessie McDonald (1928-2009)
Back to topI first meant Jessie in the late 1980s no one could tell Jessie no when it came to the Pool. She talked me onto joining The Friends of the Community Center. They held an Annual Auction which I helped with for 30 years. We had a group of people who helped every year. Lee, her Husband was right at her side doing everything he could do to help.
Jessie spent over four decades working first to get the Community Center and Pool built the year was 1970. She took the first shovel full of dirt from the ground when construction began. As a child Jessie did not learn to swim it was her dream that every child should learn to swim. When she was growing up you swam in the river or a pond.
In 2009 with failing health Jessie had to step back from the pool. Our Park and Recreation Board at our monthly meeting voted to name the Pool after her and Lee. We then took a vote on making her Birthday which is June 22 a free swim day for the kids in her honor. After the vote was taken and passed I went to her home to tell her the news. When I told her she looked at me and said she was glad I told her before she passed with a tear in her eyes which brought tears to my eyes. The next month she passed away. I am proud to have known this Great Lady and even prouder to call her my Friend.
-Scott Ludwig
In honor of Jessie McDonald “Jessie Day” is held annually on June 22nd. On Jessie Day swim admission is free to the youth of Elgin.
Elgin Parks & Recreation Board of Directors
- Dianne Greif
- Twila Ivins
- Denise Ludwig
- Scott Ludwig
- Patty Herron