NORWICH – A new Environmental Protection Fund sign for the refurbishment of Kurt Beyer Pool has some visitors confused as to its future. City officials are continuing to seek testimonials for a $217,500 Environmental Protection Fund grant that would cover repairs at the pool, which remained closed throughout the summer.

The sign – which lists NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey and Mayor Joe Maiurano – is actually tied to a previous $76,000 grant the city received in November of 2002. The city was required to put up the sign in order to formally close out that grant, used primarily for repairs at the pool in 2004.

According to the mayor, approximately $17,000 of the original grant went unused, and it’s uncertain whether the city will still have access to those funds.

The mayor did say, however, that Kurt Beyer will be open once again for the summer of 2012.

“No matter what, the pool will be open next year,” said Maiurano, who added city officials were reluctant to close the pool in 2011. “We need to make sure we have the money on hand, but whether we get the grant or not, the pool will be open.”