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John Davis Recreation Center pool reopens after two-year renovation; swim lessons fill quickly
Summary
City staff and contractors completed renovations at the John Davis Recreation Center pool, which passed a state inspection and reopened June 2; city officials said lessons and swim team use began the same day and the facility will be used in July 4 plans.
The John Davis Recreation Center pool reopened to the public on June 2 after roughly two years of renovation work, city staff told the Dalton City Council.
City staff said the pool passed a state inspection Friday with a perfect score and opened for swim team practice at 7 a.m., swim lessons in the morning and public hours beginning at 2 p.m. "We did, like you said, open today. Our swim team was in it at 07:00 this morning, and we had swim lessons this morning," the parks and recreation director said.
The reopening followed a coordinated effort among multiple city departments and contractors. Staff said Parks and Recreation logged late nights and weekend work; Public Works installed conduit for power and communications; Dalton Utilities performed electrical and communications work and the fire department assisted early pool cleanings. Contractor Felker Contracting adjusted schedules to finish work, officials said.
City staff highlighted operational and safety steps required by the state permit. The city installed a dedicated 9-1-1 phone line and established delineated zones to separate the active construction area from the pool area. The parks director said lifeguard equipment and other operational systems were prepared ahead of the opening.
Usage was immediate: the parks director said about 90 children attended the day’s swim lessons (the session was full) and another 90 are already signed up for the next session. The director also said there were “probably close to a hundred in the pool” in the afternoon public session.
Council members and staff also discussed upcoming July 4 plans tied to the recreation center and nearby fairgrounds. City staff said the city plans festivities at the fairgrounds with gates opening about 3 p.m., vendors loading in around noon, and fireworks scheduled for roughly 9:45 p.m.; the city intends to post a detailed schedule later in the week.
City officials emphasized the reopening resulted from cross-department coordination and contractor flexibility. The parks director credited specific staff and contractors by name for the reopening work, and a city staff member noted the opening “couldn’t have happened” without the team effort.
Looking ahead, staff said the pool will host lessons and swim-team activities throughout the summer. No formal council vote was required for the reopening, which staff described as an operational milestone rather than a policy decision.
