Parks board approves Highland Park pool redesign with $2 million estimate

The Parks and Urban Forestry Board on March 15 approved design recommendations for a redesigned municipal swimming pool at Highland Park, voting 4-0 to move the project into final bidding and permitting stages.

Board members heard a presentation from Daniel Smith, associate principal and project manager with GH2 Architects, and Aaron Stoops, vice president of construction with Crossland Construction, on a plan that replaces the existing pool and renovates the bathhouse and equipment building.

The project responds to an aging facility that architects described as built in the early 1930s and “in pretty rough state.” Daniel Smith said the existing pool is “roughly about 7,000 square feet in surface area” and that the design team proposes a smaller footprint with more family-oriented features and improved accessibility. “It’s a 0 depth entry pool...the deepest it’ll get is 5 feet,” Smith said, adding the pool will include spray features and a vortex slide.

Why it matters: City staff told the board maintenance and equipment replacement at the current pool have driven recurring costs. The approved design aims to reduce long-term maintenance needs, add ADA-compliant access from the bathhouse to the deck, add a family restroom with an accessible shower, and modernize chemical storage and filtration systems.

Key details: The design calls for demolition of the existing pool deck and the top portion of the pool shell while retaining the deep end so the new basin fits within the historic footprint. Bathhouse improvements include a central lobby, new showers and dry changing spaces, concrete topping slabs to correct slope issues, new copper plumbing in the bathhouse, and separated, ventilated chemical storage rooms in the equipment building. The equipment room will receive new pumps, filters and corrosion-resistant finishes; the roof will be replaced with a steel deck and TPO roofing.

Timeline and budget: Aaron Stoops (Crossland Construction) told the board the pool construction component controls the schedule and estimated roughly a seven-month timeline for the pool work. Final construction documents are expected in mid-May, with bidding to follow; Stoops said the team expects to start construction in July or August and that commissioning likely will take place after several consecutive days above freezing to avoid damage when filling the pool. The project budget is currently estimated at about $2,000,000; Stoops said about 40% of that amount is the pool construction itself. The design team and staff said the city will return to the city council for approval of the final bid award.

Board discussion and vote: Board members asked about equipment-room ventilation, whether chemical rooms should be freestanding, plumbing materials (copper preferred for longevity), and site impacts during construction. Crossland said the site will be largely contained and the broader park should remain open during most work. After discussion, the board voted 4-0 to approve the staff recommendation and design package as presented.

Next steps: Staff will complete construction documents, solicit bids, then present a recommended contract and cost to the city council for approval before construction begins. City staff and the design team said they hope to have the pool ready for the 2026 swim season, subject to bidding results and seasonal commissioning constraints.