Mountain Recreation and the town of Eagle are moving ahead with plans to replace the Eagle Pool and they want the community to weigh in. On Thursday, Dec. 7, the initial design concept for the replacement project will be displayed during a community open house at the Eagle Pool and Ice Rink. The open house will run from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
In early October, the town and Mountain Recreation selected an owner’s representative, design team and construction manager/general contractor for the replacement project. Since then, the entities have been working with architect and engineering firm OLC Designs to conceptualize the initial designs for an Eagle Pool that delivers on community and programmatic needs, but also is built to last.
“We’ve listened to our community, and we are as eager to get the pool open as quickly as possible,” said Melissa Daruna, Eagle’s assistant town manager. “To do so, there are a few things the town and Mountain Rec have to accomplish and would like to be upfront about — we have to be practical with our limited budget and timeline constraints, and we must get the geotechnical work done correctly, so this doesn’t happen again.”
The Eagle Pool has been closed since May 2022, when staff members discovered an unusually large water leak. After investigating the cause, it was determined that there were several issues with the pool that ultimately led the town and rec district to move forward with a replacement rather than a repair. Among the issues were gaps and bowing in the pool’s gutter system, the entire northwest end of the pool dropping and challenges with the filtration system.
To deliver the Eagle Pool by the target date of spring of 2025 and do so within the budget, the town and Mountain Rec plan to replace the pool in the same location and keep it as a seasonal outdoor amenity. The pool replacement is estimated to cost around $13 million.
Although the budget and location of the pool are set, the town and Mountain Rec are inviting the community to the December open house hours to see the vision, design and scope of the project as well as help the project team prioritize site amenities that meet the community’s needs and desires.
While the top priority is replacing the pool, the team is considering additional amenities. This includes consideration of additional restroom or changing room areas that may be required for the new pool size and layout as well as opportunities to improve these amenities for multiple uses and year-round at the facility.
District residents will have an opportunity to engage with and provide feedback to representatives from the town, Mountain Rec and the design firm.
For more information, please visit MountainRec.org/Eagle-Pool. The page includes a visual timeline of project milestones, an archive of all the community updates since 2022, a feedback/question form and a regularly updated FAQ section.