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Pueblo West closes 53-year-old outdoor pool for season after pump failure; staff to assess piping and next steps
Summary
Parks staff closed the Lovell Park outdoor pool for the season after a pump and filtration failure linked to older piping and debris. Staff will retain a contractor to scope lines and include potential repair or replacement costs in the 2026 budget; a possible conversion to a splash pad was discussed as a long‑term option.
The Pueblo West Metro District announced Wednesday that it closed the 53-year-old outdoor pool at Lovell Park for the season after staff and contractors detected persistent filtration and pump failures that staff said confirmed the system was unsafe for public use.
Parks Director Carol Cosby told the board that the pool’s in-ground piping is decades old and that staff started startup checks in April. “When staff reported, unusual noise out of the pump and also the filtration in the pool water,” Cosby said, and later added, “That is not safe for our public to use.” Contractors who inspected the equipment said air and particulate debris were passing through the system and that a replacement pump estimated at about $5,700 (quote excluded installation) might only run for a few weeks before failing again because of the underlying piping issues.
Cosby said the pump installed in 2023 lasted about five months of service before failure. District staff decided — after consulting with utilities and public-works staff — to close the pool for the season rather than undertake a temporary repair that could quickly fail and require repeated emergency work. The district will hire a contractor to scope the return lines and determine whether there are breaks or other failures in buried piping. Those findings will inform whether the pool can be refurbished for short-term use and what costs should be included in the 2026 budget.
Board members discussed long-term options. Staff noted a potential reuse of the site as a splash pad or other water feature if repairs prove expensive; Cosby said a splash pad would use different piping and could leverage existing locker rooms. The board also compared Pueblo West’s situation with nearby Canon City, which closed an aging outdoor pool and is advancing larger aquatic projects. No decision was made about capital funding; staff will return with a scoping report and cost estimates.
Cosby said the closure was difficult because seasonal staff and community users were affected, but she described the decision as necessary for public safety.
The district did not set an immediate reopening date. Staff will solicit a piping inspection and present findings and budget recommendations to the board for consideration in the 2026 capital planning process.
