Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pirates Cove Renovation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Englewood plans larger Pirates Cove pool with deep-water and diving features after public input
Summary
Staff reported strong community interest in retaining deep-water programming at Pirates Cove and presented survey and open-house results that shaped the renovation scope; construction not expected to begin until next August and the facility is expected to remain open through the upcoming season.
At the Renew and Recreate Parks and Rec Bond oversight committee meeting, Brad Anderson, deputy director of parks and recreation, reported results of an Aug. 5 open house and an online survey for the Pirates Cove pool project and described design elements the city plans to include.
Anderson said 30 community members attended the open house and 25 lifeguards stopped by; the online survey drew 123 respondents. Staff reported that 35.8% of respondents said they attend Pirates Cove at least weekly, and that the main age group among respondents is children ages 5 to 14. Most respondents reported living in Englewood for more than five years and a plurality were in the 35–44 age range.
Staff said the preferred features identified by respondents — a multiple-passenger slide, underwater benches, a lily-pad-style water crossing and diving/jump features — are incorporated into the current project scope. The project will include a deep-water area to allow for deep-water exercise classes and a diving feature; staff said the deep area is expected to be about 11 feet deep.
Gina O'Bering, project manager, and Anderson said Pirates Cove is expected to remain open for the full next season and that construction is not anticipated to start until next August. Staff noted there could be limited impacts (for example, weekend-only schedule changes in August) but said the facility will be kept open through the season; staff described a target reopening around Memorial Day weekend but did not specify a year.
Staff also said most suggestions for locker-room cleaning and operations can be managed through regular operations and specifically will inform 2026 seasonal planning. The committee heard that the design team intends to continue outreach and incorporate resident preferences in the final design.
