It is 89 degrees in the shade at the Anita Louise Ehrman Pool in Armonk, N.Y., and the joint is jumping.
The story of how this I.M. Pei-designed facility came to be, how it flourished and grew old, and how it was rebuilt as a state-of-the-watery-arts wonder begins with a brick just outside the gate. The kids frolicking this day have likely never noticed it, even as they step on it headed for the pool; their job is to have fun and they are about their task with that particular cacophony endemic to 89 degrees and crystal-clear water.
The brick bears a name: Thomas M. Yaroscak, who died in 1988, but whose vision of a better community lives on thanks to a cadre of citizens, including his son Chris Yaroscak, a principal in a pair of upscale building outfits: Legacy Development Northeast L.L.C. in Armonk and Brandisi & Yaroscak Custom Builders Inc. in Darien. The companies build the kind of homes that turn heads and include a caliber of craftsmanship to stick a pin in the assertion: They don”™t build them like that anymore. Via Yaroscak and companies, indeed they do build them like that today. “We do some cool stuff,” he says, opting for a hip, low-key adjective when “fantastic” or “magnificent” would have been appropriate, as well.
Were he carved of less substantial stock, Chris Yaroscak could with honesty lay claim to the pool he visited that hot day in earl July. He had rallied friends to keep the old pool functioning until it became unsafe and then oversaw the building of the new pool. But no man is an island and Yaroscak insists others get the credit, too, beginning with his father, an architect about whom Chris produces a substantial biographical printout of design achievements: “He inspired me both to public service and careerwise,” he says. “He had a great sense of community.”
That community sense includes the Annual Lion”™s Club Fol-de-Rol, which just completed its 34th incarnation at Armonk”™s Wampus Town Park. In the past, the Fol-de-Rol has raised money for rescue equipment, high school bleachers and a kidney dialysis machine. “The Lions still donate a portion of the Fol-de-Rol proceeds to the Ehrman Recreation Center,” Chris says. He has only begun to share credit. Pen in hand, at a neat office desk beside window blinds made of wooden slats, he writes names and asks that they, too, take a bow:
”¢ Rich Nardi: “Our attorney ”“ spearheaded the approval process and is our largest individual donor to date.”
”¢ David Van Leeuwen: “The liaison between day-to-day operations and construction.”
”¢ Jack DiPietro: “Donated 20 percent of the cost of demolition and excavation after meeting the low-bid price.”
”¢ Greg McKenna: “A 1990s board member who served during the preconstruction phase for 10 years.”
”¢ Kristin Muller: “She”™s the director of the pool ”“ a paid employee who donated a lot of time throughout the planning and building process.”
”¢ George Drapeau: “Public affairs, development, branding, Web site and strategic philanthropy; got us reconnected with the Town Board, the Rec. Board and the Lion”™s Club, and hooked us up with the Lifesaver Program for a $1.25 million construction loan secured by 25 individuals at $50,000 each.”
Ӣ Hank Milano and Mary Archer (a board member since the late 1960s) also must be mentioned, he says, along with original forces behind the five-pool aquatic complex: Frederick Ehrman, longtime town Supervisor Jack Lombardi and current Supervisor Reese Berman.
And he isn”™t through yet: “Also, Bill McIntosh who was with Union State Bank, now Key Bank. If it wasn”™t for the patience of Bill and the dedication of George Drapeau, we wouldn”™t have been able to acquire the financing.”
Chris and Beth Yaroscak celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary last week. They have two children: Carlie, 14, and Luke, 9, and Chris is active as a lacrosse and soccer coach in their worlds.Â
In a world where we are expected to blow our own horns and star in our own parades, Chris Yaroscak is a throwback to a world of civility and shared credit. As he drives a reporter and his dog Lexi from his Armonk office to the Ehrman Pool, the conversation is engaging and far-flung, with a low-volume backdrop of classic rock ”™n”™ roll. At the pool, it is hot and, after pointing out the pool deck is a special material that won”™t burn feet in the hot sun, he insists on springing for a soda pop. Not missing a beat, he says, “The local restaurant Route 22 is the concession vendor.”
Later, he muses, “Now that the pool is up and running, I”™d like to turn my attention to something else. But the core is giving back to the community in a way my dad did.”
