Vandals struck at Dimond High’s swimming pool, leaving it a mess. Over the summer Dimond’s pool was going through construction, receiving a new ventilation system, which would be a great improvement to the pool, Assistant Principal for Activities Pat Walker said. To put the new ventilation system in, construction workers using heavy machinery had to demolition one side of the building, making an opening necessary for the large system. The plans shifted when the construction workers showed up for work one day and found that the pool and room had been vandalized. A construction worker called Officer Mark Wells, who took control of the investigation. Wells speculated that it was two teens that climbed through the hole in the wall. The vandals proceeded to spray paint the walls and doors, leaving the spray paint cans on the floor. They then continued their vandalism by discharging fire extinguisher fluid in the pool, and on walls and doors. Instead of only upgrading the ventilation system, now there were further repairs that had to be performed, such as cleaning the fire extinguish fluid, refilling the fire extinguishers, draining and refilling the pool, and repainting the walls and doors. Head Swim Coach and Municipality Employee of Anchorage Parks and Recreation for Pools Scott O’Brian said that took workers 20 hours to clean and repair. Wells does not know who committed the crime and he said they probably will never know who the culprits are unless someone turns them in. The final cost for the repainting and clean up was unknown; Wells guessed it is going to be over $500 but less than $1,000. Students on the swim team were constantly asking when the Dimond pool was going to be ready. Formerly, the pool’s estimated time for completion was the week of Labor Day, Walker said, and she was shocked to hear that the pool was not going to be finished until the end of September. The setback for the finished pool was not because of the vandalism. There was so much that needs to be done in order to put the ventilation system in, Walker said. Swimmers and divers were disappointed about the delay in the pool because that means they had to continue to ride the bus to Bartlett High School for swim practice, at least three more weeks. Practice begans at 4:30 p.m. and ended at 6:30 p.m., because Bartlett is across town. Swimmers and divers had to be at Dimond to catch the bus at 3:30 p.m. and did not get back until 7:15 through 7:30 p.m. Each day cost more than $200 to transport the swim and dive team to Bartlett. Swimmers and divers had to go to Bartlett because it was the only pool available in the district, Walker said.