For many years, the Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool in Marland Heights Park was a showpiece in Weirton. It served the community well.

But the pool has been closed for years, after a valiant fight waged by the Marland Heights Community Association to keep up with needed repairs. In 2018, the group gave up and returned the pool to the Weirton Parks and Recreation Department.

What to do with it now is a question on the minds of city Board of Parks and Recreation members.

Built in 1934, the old pool appears to be beyond repairing. That leaves the board with no viable option but to have the structure demolished. As board member Deb Witkowski noted last week, the pool building is “crumbling.”

One idea being considered by board members is to leave the front of the pool building standing, as a sort of community monument. That has some appeal and, if finances permit, is a prospect board members should consider.

Weirton’s park system has many needs. Keeping the Starvaggi Pool and Park in good condition will require substantial expenditures. So will other recreation facilities, as has been discussed.

That leaves the only responsible option for the board being demolition of the old pool building on Marland Heights, at the least possible cost.