Guthrie City Council and the Parks Board on May 20, 2025 held a workshop to review proposed renovations to Highland Park Pool, discussing three design options, architect and contractor proposals, construction costs and how the project might be funded under the city's capital improvement plan.

The review followed the pool's May 2023 closure after persistent water loss that officials said exceeded roughly 40,000 gallons per day and multiple state inspection notes calling out accessibility shortfalls. The city contracted Caruthers Construction Company in October 2023 to evaluate the pool and recommend next steps; that evaluation and subsequent design work from GH2 and Crossland Construction formed the basis of the evening's presentation.

Why it matters: Council members and residents framed the debate as one of public safety, accessibility and long‑term municipal cost. The pool serves swim lessons, water aerobics and community recreation; residents and Parks Board members argued a larger, better‑equipped facility would increase access and water‑safety outcomes for children, while council members and consultants emphasized construction and ongoing maintenance costs and existing debt limits.

Design and cost options presented:

- Option A (current proposed design): roughly 1,500 sq. ft. of water surface with a bather load of about 102 people; Crossland estimated this design at about $2.1 million. The plan includes a renovated bathhouse, new equipment room and full deck upgrades to meet ADA and code requirements.

- Option C (middle ground): about 2,300 sq. ft. and a bather load around 154. This keeps the pool under Oklahoma code's 2,400‑sq. ft. threshold (allowing a simpler gutter system) and was presented as more cost‑effective than the largest option; Crossland's estimate for this option was roughly $2.8 million.

- Option B (largest): about 3,000 sq. ft. with a 200‑bather load. Because it exceeds Oklahoma's 2,400‑sq. ft. threshold, this option requires a surge tank and upgraded equipment and was estimated at about $3.5 million.

Caruthers’ earlier 2023 evaluation also outlined three distinct choices: full replacement of the facility of similar size (Caruthers estimated in 2023 at roughly $6.4–$7.4 million for a full replacement of a 6,200 sq. ft. facility), targeted basin repairs and piping replacement (budgetary range $1.8–$2.4 million but with an expected life extension of only five to eight years), or continued use of the pool as‑is (with continued water loss, roughly 43,000 gallons per day over a typical season). The Caruthers report—contracted in October 2023—also reported about 1,100 sq. ft., or roughly 19% of the pool floor, had deteriorated concrete based on sounding tests.

Funding context: Voters approved the city's second CIP package in April 2024 with near 80% approval. Council and oversight committee allocations showed an intended $2.5 million for the pool in the CIP prioritization discussed at the workshop; staff noted the Public Works Authority trust indenture limits the city to $8 million in new debt per year, a constraint that shaped earlier allocations to towers, a fire station and other infrastructure.

Usage and community testimony: Presenters said the YMCA reported average attendance numbers that staff interpreted as about 30 people per day; the city said Pelican Bay in Edmond had averaged about 50 people per day in 2024. Park planners and many public commenters disputed those low figures, saying the existing facility had been under‑resourced and under‑maintained and therefore under‑used. Jean Groom, a longtime former lifeguard and instructor, recounted decades of programming and said, "I personally taught students from 9 months to 90 years old," describing robust historic lesson and lifesaving programs. Several residents and Parks Board members argued a new facility would increase participation and provide lifesaving instruction for children who otherwise lack options.

Council and staff cautioned that larger pool options increase not only capital costs but operating expenses and staffing needs: GH2 and Crossland noted larger bather loads require more life guards and larger filtration/equipment systems; once the pool area exceeds 2,400 sq. ft. the required surge tank and gutter type add materially to construction complexity and cost.

Next steps: Staff and Crossland said they were ready to receive direction from council and the Parks Board to refine scope and costs. No formal council vote or binding direction was taken at the workshop; staff will bring the designs, refined estimates and funding options back for future consideration.

Residents urged the council to consider equity, water safety and program needs alongside cost limitations. Several speakers urged using private fundraising or phased construction to expand the project later, but council members repeatedly emphasized the need to identify where additional capital and ongoing maintenance dollars would come from before committing to a larger design.