FAQs

The current pool is approaching the end of its lifespan. A significant public investment is needed for the Pool to be fully replaced or it will need to be closed within the next 3-5 years. A renovation is not feasible.  

Asking the community about the project now may allow the city, if residents support replacement, to design and replace the Pool with less downtime.

There are no current safety concerns with the existing Anderson Pool. A pool assessment was conducted in 2023 by a nationally recognized and highly regarded contractor with significant experience in commercial pool builds, renovation, and maintenance. At the conclusion of the pool assessment, the short term needed investment that was identified as necessary to maintain safe operations of Anderson Pool was over $1.1 million. This assessment did not include estimated costs for recurring maintenance needs or long-term costs, which will be much higher. 

In addition, infrastructure and mechanical issues include:

• Infrastructure:
  • The wall between the family and lap pools does not have enough structural steel, so damage to both pool shells is occurring faster than it should.
  • All but the west wall of the lap pool is original from 1979, and any renovation would require a complete rebuild of the old parts to bring it up to current codes. This would be needed regardless due to wear and tear on the old build.
  • The family pool was built on the existing pool slab from the 1979 pool, and the age of the slab combined with a high water table has led to irreparable damage to the pipes that serve the family pool. Continuing to chase and repair pipe breaks indefinitely isn’t financially viable, and we are seeing huge water waste in both pools from damage over time. This leads to increased chemical costs as well as increased utility costs as we have to heat and treat a larger than normal amount of fresh water to keep the pools full.
  • We suffer consistent electrical surges, which cause damage to our pool pumps and exposed pipes/valves in the mechanical spaces. The repeated surges lead to a greatly reduced lifespan of that equipment.
  • Our civil water is not designed for the kind of use we see with a commercial pool, so we see consistent flooding in the parking lot while trying to complete normal pool maintenance tasks, as well as consistent challenges with toilets and showers – which are required to be functional to keep the pool open.
  • The metal gutters on the lap pool are starting to significantly show their age, particularly at welded joints, and will need to undergo significant repairs in the near future or be totally replaced.
  • The plaster in the lap pool is also in fair to poor condition and will need to be replaced in the near future.
• Mechanical:
  • The mechanical spaces are not up to current safety codes and need to be rebuilt for the safety of our pool operators.
  • Our pool heater isn’t properly sized, causing overheating of the family pool and underheating of the lap pool.
  • The slide catch pool and the lap pool are inter-connected, which leads to circulation problems in both pools.
  • The infrastructure challenges noted above lead to a lot of mechanical failures far before the end of their normal lifespan. These failures often occur without warning, which can cause closures until repaired. If parts are easy to source, that may be short – but if parts are not in stock in Colorado, this can be an extended closure.

1. Whether or not the community supports replacing the outdoor pool. 

2. If "yes" to #1, what amenities would the community like to see included in the design for the new Pool. 

No, the City will not be able to fit this project into the General Fund budget in an upcoming year. Replacing the pool will include design, demolition, and construction phases which are, in total, estimated to cost $12M-$17M. For context, the 2025 City General Fund budget is about $49M. The City has ongoing and upcoming project commitments for items like streets, public facilities, public safety, and ongoing operations. To afford this potential Pool replacement, the City will likely have to look at creative financing options, grants, partnerships, and other methods, in addition to contributing some General Fund dollars.

• The Pool's foundation (original to 1979) needs to be completely replaced, essentially the entire Pool needs to be replaced.
• The mechanical room (original to 1979) needs to be fully replaced.
• A replacement pool would need to be in approximately the same footprint as the current pool. Increasing the size would result in the loss of one of the city's only two 11v11 public soccer fields and/or the city's parks maintenance facility. 
• A replacement pool would need to meet or exceed current safety and accessibility standards
• If a pool replacement is supported, budget for the project will be a major factor in determining what amenities can be considered.

Anderson Pool will have to be closed within approximately the next 3-5 years. 

Generally, no, with the exception of the mechanical room for the Pool. The mechanical room will need to be replaced if the Pool is replaced. Most of the rest of the building was updated in 2018-2019 with the larger Anderson Park renovation.

Lap lanes, slides, younger kid amenities (mushrooms, spray areas, etc), older kid amenities (larger slides, climbing wall, basketball hoop, volleyball net, etc), zero-depth entry pool area (similar to the current kids/leisure pool), swim lesson space, lounge areas on the pool deck, grass areas within the enclosed pool area, concession stand, shaded rental areas, potentially others.

Diving boards, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms

The 2E project scope did not include the Pool, just the Park and the Anderson Building (locker rooms, guard office, gym, classroom, lobby, etc. It did not replace the mechanical room equipment for the outdoor pool and also did not address the infrastructure issues with the Pool itself.  The Anderson Park work occurred in 2018-2019 and cost $4.45M. The Pool was partially renovated in 2008, but much of the foundation is original to 1979. 

To learn more about the 2E projects please visit: https://www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/1560/Investing-4-The-Future--Projects-Funded-

It would be more expensive to build a new pool in a different location. Locker rooms, restrooms, infrastructure, utility connections, staff spaces, storage, parking, lighting, and access would all have to constructed at a new location. The high water table, which is related to a couple of the current issues with the Anderson Pool, is manageable at Anderson Park and is similar throughout Wheat Ridge. A different location also may not be supported by residents adjacent to the proposed property, or by the overall community. The Anderson Park location has hosted an outdoor Pool since 1979 and is an established location for this type of public amenity.