Opp’s new veterans memorial pool is one step closer to a reality after the city received a $100,000 contribution from the Estep Foundation Tuesday.

Created by Dr. John H. Estep and his wife, Grace McMillan Estep, the foundation contributes to projects designed for the betterment of the community, said local attorney Rick Clifton, who made the presentation on behalf of the foundation. Clifton presented Opp Mayor John Bartho-lomew with a $50,000 and the promise of an additional $50,000 after the first of the year.

The $100,000 puts the project close to the halfway point of the needed $250,000, Bartholomew said. Earlier this year, city crews demolished the former pool, which was located on E. Park Avenue and constructed in 1942. The property had been unused for nearly a decade.

The remaining funds for the project will be raised through community donations, Bartholomew said.

“This pool is going to replace the one at the memorial park and it will be state-of-the-art, with a splash area for the children,” he said. “It will feature water spouts at the shallow end for the children, and at its deepest for swimming at five feet.

“This donation helps us a long way in making this project a reality,” he said. “We’ve wanted to renovate this pool for years in honor of our fallen soldiers. Now, when the children play they can look to the waterfall monument and remember why we have our freedom.

The monument, he said, will feature etchings of the nation’s conflicts.

The site will also feature a pavilion, which will be equipped with a small kitchenette, available for party rental, as well as restroom facilities.

Clifton said the City of Opp was close to Mrs. Estep’s heart as her final years were spent in the Woodmore assisted living facility.

Site work will begin within 90 days, with completion slated for next summer.

To donate to the project, make checks payable to the City of Opp Veterans’ Memorial Pool project or visit any CCB Community Bank.