The Juneau’s Augustus Brown Pool could reopen within the month of March following an extensive renovation in the last year.
The City Aquatics Director Terra Patterson said the downtown pool is important to the tens of thousands of people who have used it throughout the years.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”It’s not just a pool, it’s more than a place for people to are able to swim lapsit’s actually a place that people come together,” she said.
The work, which started in April of this year, is the first major upgrade over the past few decades of the over 50-year-old pool. Juneau Parks and Recreation Director George Schaaf said the city is hoping to open it again before the end of March however, that date could change depending on the number of staff members.
span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We’re getting a way behind on our schedule due to certain supply chain issues and delays that we experienced during the course of the project however, nothing major considering the magnitude of the project it was.” the man said.
Schaaf stated that contractors have spent the last 10 months completing upgrades that pool owners won’t be able to see, such as new boilers as well as electric plumbing and ventilation. The total cost is around $8 million, financed by the ballot initiative that was passed in the year 2017 as well as an Assembly funding in 2021.
Patterson stated that a lot of the pool’s swimmers have been taking a dip at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center in the Mendenhall Valley in the meantime.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”They’ve been in a state of patience, however, we can tell that they’re ready to have the second pool opened,” she said. “I believe that this has been an extremely effective exercise in demonstrating the reason Juneau has two pools. .”
Patterson stated that the city is set to begin recruiting lifeguards, aquatic attendants and swimming instructors. Patterson said the city will need to replace about 80 percent of its previous staffing in order to restart the pool.
The contractors are expected to complete the project by mid-February.
