Trustee Possema told the Village of Hinsdale Board of Trustees on Oct. 21 that the village is considering fully replacing the community pool’s children’s (kiddie) pool after persistent leaks. Trustee Possema said emergency repairs approved in June for about $39,000 did not stop the leaks and “we now have to refill the pool every night. The water basically drains out of the entire pool.”

The board heard that Williams Architects was recommended to design and oversee the project and that the village would need a professional services agreement for design and construction administration estimated at $124,500. Frank Parisi of Williams Architects told the board the firm would “incorporate some play features inside of the pool” and that their aquatics practice is “at the forefront.”

Trustee Possema and staff said the leaks are under the pool and cannot be repaired without removing the structure. Staff and the consultant estimated the pool replacement would take roughly 18 months for design, permitting and construction; the pool would be closed for the entire 2026 season and could reopen in 2027 if the project moves forward. Williams provided an order‑of‑magnitude construction estimate of $1,100,000, and the village currently has $585,000 in the capital improvement plan (CIP) for the pool. Village staff said they expect two State of Illinois DCEO grants totaling about $350,000 but that, taking the estimate at face value, the CIP would need about $290,000 more to cover the project.

Officials discussed alternative facility designs that had been considered, such as a splash pool or a larger activity pool, but said the preferred approach is a modernized replacement within the existing footprint. Staff noted that Clarendon Hills and other neighboring pools were renovated recently and that Hinsdale needs to plan for competitive, long‑term amenities for families with young children — the RBA cited that 34% of pool visitors in 2024 were ages 2 to 8.

No formal vote to award the design contract or to add funding to the CIP was taken at the Oct. 21 meeting; the item was presented as a first read and staff said funding adjustments would be included in future CIP work. Trustee Possema and staff indicated they will pursue grant applications and bring further budget actions back to the board for approval.