Highlands pool undergoing $2 million renovation but won’t open until spring
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Construction continues on the long-closed pool at Highlands High School, but the facility likely won’t be open until spring.
That means, for the third consecutive year, the high school swim team will practice and host meets away from the building. Last year, the team used facilities at Valley High School.
Chris Reiser, director of buildings and grounds, updated the school board last Monday with a report on the $2 million project.
“Crews found a significant (problem) area at the bottom of the pool where a repair was done years ago and it wasn’t done properly,” Reiser said.
Concrete was replaced and a new liner is expected to be installed in the next couple of weeks.
“That phase of work will be done by September, but the pool probably won’t be operational until spring,” he said.
Work over the winter will include the installation of a heating system and humidity control system.
The district closed the pool in 2021 after it was leaking about 300 gallons of water an hour — or about 7,200 gallons a day.
This year, residents lobbied the board to approve pool upgrades rather than close the facility for good.
At that time, Patrick Bundy, board president of the Sylvan Park community pool, said, “I cannot stress enough the importance of having a functional pool at the high school. As a district, we should provide aquatic safety.”
For years, swim lessons were offered as part of the curriculum, but it hadn’t drawn enough interest in recent years to offer classes.
The swim team has about a dozen members. Because it is a winter sport, the team once again will not have a home facility.
Members will use their own transportation to and from weekday practices.