Iowa City has unveiled updated 3D renderings for the future City Park Pool, signaling the beginning of the contractor bidding process. The city's only outdoor pool and its adjacent, reconstructed bathhouse are poised for a major overhaul, with construction expected to start this spring. The pool, which will be closed for the summer of 2025, is anticipated to reopen sometime in 2026.

The city’s planned $18.4 million design features significant upgrades, including a children's pool, six lap lanes, and a diving pool. This comes after years of safety concerns and complaints about the 75-year-old pool, which led the Iowa City Council to decide on demolition and a full rebuild. The council reviewed several options before approving the current design.

City officials had noted that maintaining or refurbishing the current pool would cost an estimated $10 million, with the need for more repairs looming within the next decade. This decision to build a new pool comes in response to ongoing maintenance issues, including excessive water loss—the pool lost over 10 million gallons of water between 2021 and the fall of 2023—and structural concerns, such as visible chipping and cracking.

The updated renderings showcase a pool complex with three distinct pools, alongside a new bathhouse and additional facilities. The design also includes six 50-meter lap lanes, which will be isolated from the nearby leisure and diving pools. In response to feedback from public meetings and surveys, the city has emphasized maintaining clear separation between different pool areas to provide greater flexibility for operations.

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"We understand that some of the community's favorite features, such as the lap swimming area, must be preserved," said a city spokesperson. "Our latest designs have addressed these concerns by keeping the pools distinct from each other."

The bathhouse will also undergo a significant overhaul to meet ADA standards and improve functionality. The current facility, which lacks adequate storage for pool maintenance resources like chemicals, will see these resources moved to a new filter building to enhance safety and efficiency.

Funding for the project will be drawn from the city's facility reserve fund and general obligation bonds. The Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission recently released an updated construction timeline, confirming that contractor bids for the project are due by March 11, with a final selection expected by March 18. Public hearings on the project will continue through the City Council meetings.

The construction timeline anticipates that the pool will remain closed for the entirety of the summer in 2025, with the new facility expected to open for the summer season of 2026.

“The history of City Park Pool is important,” said Andrew Caputo, senior project manager at Williams Architects, in September 2023. “I know personally as an architect, history is something that is cherished in the community. History has a role to play in the design process.”

In addition to the pool improvements, the redesign aims to address concerns about the outdated infrastructure and provide a more modern, safer, and accessible space for the community. With the bid process underway, Iowa City is one step closer to creating a revamped City Park Pool that aligns with both the city's history and its future needs.

Originally reported by Ryan Hansen in Iowa City Press-Citizen.

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