Is the future looking shallow for Reinhart Pool in Idaho Falls?
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IDAHO FALLS –- Reinhart Pool on Washburn Ave. has been closed for two years and City of Idaho Falls officials are contemplating what to do with the structure.
The pool was opened last in the summer of 2013 but since then it has been condemned. Reinhart Pool was one of the few water-based recreational places for locals to attend.
“I was just thinking about it yesterday and hoping it would open back up,” resident Lisa Wise said. “I learned how to swim in that pool.”
Reinhart Pool has been around since the 1950’s and shutting down the facility made an impact especially on residents’ nearby.
“It’s been there for years and years, and it’s something that’s very loved in the community,” Idaho Falls Recreational Superintendent P.J. Holm said.
Holm said the Idaho Falls YMCA had been leasing the pool for over ten years before handing the property back over to the city about two years ago.
After assessing the pool, renovation costs were estimated to be $12,000 to $15,000 for electrical maintenance alone.
“There’s a crack in the bottom of the pool, grout coming out, tiles popping off, and concrete slabs settling,” Holm said. “There are trip hazards and everything in between.”
Holm said renovating the pool would be a large project. He said putting around $30,000 of work toward redevelopment would fix a few aspects of the facility, but it wouldn’t be enough to fix everything.
City officials are looking at different options for the pool, but have said they don’t want to dive into any solutions just yet. Holm said they are looking at water-based possibilities for the pool section of Reinhart Park, but no final decisions have been made.
“I am looking for some grant money that I can use to help renovate that facility and bring it back to its old glory,” Holm said.
Whatever the ultimate decision, Holm said, it needs to be at the right time and safe for the community.
“We know this community is lacking pools and lacking fun things for families to do,” Holm said. “We want to find something that will kind of bridge that gap and fill that need.”
Holm said although there aren’t any plans for Reinhart Pool this summer, city officials are planning to spruce up the outdoor section of the Aquatic Center and concessions may be added.