Pirates Cove redesign keeps lap lanes, adds slides and a new pump house; open house Aug. 5

At the July 24 Oversight Committee meeting, Englewood City staff reviewed three conceptual designs for Pirates Cove and announced a public open house for the pool redesign on Aug. 5 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with an online survey open through Aug. 19.

Why it matters: Pirates Cove supports lap swimming and popular deep‑water exercise classes; staff said preserving lap lanes was a major community priority and shaped the combined concept the design team plans to advance.

Staff described three concepts (A, B and C) that explored larger cabana and rental areas, inner‑tube racing slides, rock jump platforms at multiple levels for staged jumping and a lily‑pad crossing across the pool. After reviewing costs and community feedback, staff presented a combined A+B concept that retains lap lanes and deep‑water class capacity while adding slides and a larger cabana/rental area. The combined concept also includes a new pump house that will occupy some existing parking space, staff said.

Staff emphasized the swim‑program implications: keeping lane space preserves the city’s deep‑water class and morning lap‑swim opportunities, and the revised layout keeps a zero‑entry zone and stairs for general access. Staff said the larger structure for the slides will slightly extend into Bellevue Park to improve sight lines and viewing opportunities.

Staff warned the pump house and new slide tower will require additional structure and could reduce some parking at the site. Committee member Victor (staff member) asked about retaining walls on the northeast side where the slide tower would sit; staff said existing retaining walls are present but that modifications or additional retaining work may be needed once construction drawings are developed. A committee member asked whether the floodplain extends to the wall if expansion happens in that area; staff said they had checked and that the floodplain does not extend up to that retaining wall.

Concept C was described as the most expensive option; staff said they are not pursuing that plan because of cost and layout concerns but that pieces of it informed the combined design. The combined design will keep play features (lily‑pad crossing, rock jumps), lap lanes and additional rental cabanas while shifting pump and mechanical requirements to a new pump house.

An open house will be held Tuesday, Aug. 5, and the online survey will remain available through Aug. 19. Staff encouraged Pirates Cove users and other community members to attend the open house and provide feedback before the design is finalized.

Provenance: Discussion of Pirates Cove began at about 867.94 seconds into the transcript and concluded with closing questions about the lazy river and pool layout around 1212 seconds.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article: Presenter (staff member); Victor (staff member).