Neighbors say local pool was closed to minorities because of unwritten rule

LILESVILLE, N.C. — Neighbors in an Anson County town told Channel 9 they didn’t feel welcome at a private pool because of their race.

Community members in Lilesville said an unwritten rule has prevented many black residents from joining the pool for decades.

It is now open to black residents.

People Channel 9 spoke with said they have felt discriminated against in the past.

"I just knew not to go over there because they clearly had a ‘whites only’ sign up," resident Kaitlyn Carelock said.

Discrimination was rampant in the 1950s when the private pool opened. It wasn't until last Thursday that the current president made it clear that it would no longer be tolerated.

"At one point, I think it was reality," pool president Gina Clarke said.

Clarke became the president last year.

She said in the four years she's been on the board, they didn't have a problem with opening the gates to all. No one ever came out and said it until she did last week. She blames everyone for not being comfortable enough to sit down and talk about race.

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