Future decisions and dollars will determine the next steps for the municipal pool inside Highland Park after an inspection report shows the pool is in dire need of renovation or demolition.
Carrouthers Construction was contracted by the City of Guthrie to evaluate the existing pool structure and provide a plan to move forward. The report shows the plumbing is completely deteriorated for the 6,520 square foot pool. Related article: City pool receives poor report for plumbing; continues ongoing evaluation
Following air and water testing, it was confirmed, that major leaks were found in the system.
“The main drain system along the deep end of the pool was filled just above the grates, all water drained away within 30 minutes,” City Manager Eddie Faulkner said to the council reading from the report.
“Nobody knows where it went.”
The concrete in the 83-year-old pool is reported to be 19%, or 1,173 square feet, completely deteriorated. The report adds the pool shell is in “poor condition.”
“That’s a testament to our Public Works team taking care of the pool,” Faulkner told the council of the remaining 81% of the concrete that has held up over 80-plus years. “You can tell we have gone to great lengths to maintain what is there.”
The construction company listed three options for moving forward.
Option one would be to replace the entire facility. A budgetary number for a new facility with nearly the same size is approximately between $6.5M and $7.5M. However, the company reports that it would recommend an 8,000-square-foot facility due to the city’s growth increasing the potential price tag of $9M.
Option two would be to repair the deteriorated concrete, piping, and other replacements associated with the pool with an estimated price tag of $2.4M with a useful life span of five to eight years.
Both options do not address the pool or chemical house. The bathhouse alone would cost an estimated $800,000 to construct.
The third option, which was quickly denied by city staff and council, was to use the pool as is with a loss of 43,000 gallons per day or 4.5 million gallons for the three-and-a-half-month swim season.
Related article: City officials decide against opening municipal pool for the season
Task Force to Assemble
After hearing the pool inspection report, the city council voted unanimously to create a task force of community members to develop a plan of action for future Capital Improvement Projects, including Highland Park Pool, and potential funding mechanisms.
The committee will comprise 10 members with the seven council members selecting one citizen from their ward to go along with three at-large selections by City staff. The mayor or vice mayor would make the final approval of the selections.
The task force will work with City staff and report to the council with a plan of action.
The video below is from a Guthrie News Page article from 2020.
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