Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Walton County moves to decommission aging pool, proceed with previously approved replacement
Summary
After staff reported structural problems and health concerns at a 1966 pool, the commission voted 4–0 to pull down the existing facility and proceed with the replacement plan the board had previously approved.
Commissioners voted unanimously to decommission an aging county pool and proceed with the replacement project the board had previously authorized.
Staff reported a recent health‑department inspection and engineering input that indicated a structural problem and leaks under the pool shell. Recreation staff described the Freeport pool as a 64,000‑gallon facility built in 1966 and said some systems are antiquated; by contrast, staff noted another county pool is 224,000 gallons. The health‑department advice and the engineer’s assessment led staff to recommend against continued major investments in an asset that would require essentially rebuilding the shell.
Several commissioners emphasized the pool’s sentimental value while noting it is an amenity that does not generally pay for itself. One commissioner urged staff to provide comprehensive cost comparisons between repairing the current pool to get through the summer and proceeding with the already‑approved replacement. After discussion, a motion to set the pool down and to move forward with the new pool plan passed 4–0.
The board directed staff to return with cost figures, rehabilitation options and an implementation timeline for the replacement project so the commission can finalize location and budget decisions.
