If the Friends of the Rutherford Pool can't raise $1 million to rebuild the aging facility within two years, it will likely close, organizers say.

The group is now exploring its options - and how to rally support - to replace the 40-year-old pool on South Congress Street, which has faced financial woes and large repair bills for years.

Members of the Friends of Rutherford Pool are shown in this 2009 file photo.

Members of the Friends group say the pool wasn’t expected to remain usable this long and faces a growing list of problems - most significantly leakage in its liner and the main drain. Without repairs - estimated at between $500,000 and $700,000 - or a complete rebuild, the pool will likely close within two years, according to volunteer John Weiss.

Weiss said it would be a huge loss to the neighborhood and city.

“The great thing about the pool is it serves a diverse range of the community in terms of neighborhoods, ethnographically and socioeconomically,” he said. “It’s a place everyone comes together, and it’s really a treasure, even though it’s just a small community pool.”

Weiss identified two main fund sources essential to the effort’s success. The first is federal money via U.S. Rep. John Dingell or Senator Debbie Stabenow.

The Friends of the Pool has formally requested and submitted paperwork to the representatives’ offices, and Weiss said the project is “on their radar.”

“To me that’s a really big piece that would cover several hundred thousand dollars we would need,” he said.

The Friends group also hopes to build a partnership with the YMCA in Ann Arbor, which Weiss said is exploring extending its reach in Ypsilanti beyond day camps and other similar programs currently offered. Weiss said several representatives from the YMCA attended a recent forum to gather input and ideas.

“If we are to go forward with a serious effort, we would need the YMCA support in some form or fashion,” he said.

Pledges would cover the rest of the necessary funding, and Weiss said gauging community support and commitment was part of the forum’s intent.

He said he's optimistic the Friends and residents citywide could work together to raise an estimated $150,000 in pledges. Roughly 75 residents attended the meeting and began working on fundraising ideas and partnership possibilities.

“If we get positive signals, we may start organizing into subcommittees and start looking a little more closely at fundraising,” Weiss said.

The city ran the pool until its parks and recreation department closed in 2003. Since then, the Friends and the city have been in a “mutual management arrangement.” Weiss said the Friends trimmed $10,000 to $20,000 from the cost of maintaining and managing the pool, which costs $50,000 to $60,000 annually.

The pool typically breaks even each year, and the city contributes a small portion for utilities, according to Weiss. Last year, the pool sold 120 family passes, 20 single passes and had nearly 75 kids take swim lessons at the facility.

In addition, upward of 50 kids are dropped off at the pool each day during the summer’s peak, Weiss said.

Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber, who works with the Friends, agreed the pool is an asset and should be saved. He also acknowledged the difficulty in raising funds and said demonstrating the pool's importance to the entire community, not just Normal Park, is key.

“It’s a daunting project, but it’s an exciting one too,” Schreiber said.

Weiss said the Rutherford Pool is entirely volunteer-run, with the exception of the pool manager and several lifeguards.

“To me the pool is so critical,” he said. “What’s wonderful is the staff and lifeguards watch out for the kids," he said. "They’re not disgruntled about it, and, to me, that’s something really important to maintain for the community.”

Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.