A spirited effort by Guthrie residents has prompted the City Council to grant a 30-day window for a grassroots group to raise private funds in support of a larger and improved Highland Park Pool.
During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, the council heard from Joe Chappell, a Guthrie native and former Highland Park lifeguard, representing a group informally known as the Friends of Highland Park Pool. The group has already secured over $240,000 in pledges and asked the city for time to pursue additional private donations.
City staff and GH2 Architects previously presented three pool design options, with cost estimates ranging from $2.1 million for a 1,500-square-foot pool to $3.6 million for a 3,000-square-foot facility. The city has already allocated $2 million from Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds, but further public funding is unlikely, prompting local residents to step in.
“We’re not an official committee — we’re just people who love the pool,” Chappell said, recalling the group’s earlier efforts to purchase lounge chairs and umbrellas before the pool’s closure. “Now, we’re asking for a chance to see if the community wants to dream a little bigger.”
Council members expressed admiration for the group’s initiative and agreed to revisit the pool proposal in 30 days. The goal: to determine whether enough private funding can be secured to pursue one of the larger pool options, specifically the 3,000-square-foot design labeled “Option B.”
The conversation included comparisons to successful community-funded pools in other Oklahoma towns, including Alva, where a once-closed pool was reopened thanks to local fundraising and a significant trust donation.
City Manager Eddie Faulkner noted that while a 2026 pool opening is now unlikely, clear direction and timely funding could keep the project from facing further delays or inflation-related cost increases.
“Let’s see what the community can do,” said one council member. “If there’s energy and generosity out there, this could be a special opportunity.”
The 30-day window begins immediately. Donations can be made through Neighborhood Solutions, a local nonprofit that has set up a dedicated account for the pool project.
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