Henry Gurrusquieta, top, gets most of the force on his head as he tries to hold his sister Melanie under the falling water at Woldert Park Pool Sprayground in 2012. Staff file photo.

FAITH HARPER, fharper@tylerpaper.com

Ailing infrastructure led to the earlier than expected closure of one of Tyler’s two public pools.

Woldert Pool opened late this sumer and will close early this year, due to low staffing levels and a continuous leak.

This week, the parks’ department announced it would close the pool two weeks early on July 25, citing infrastructure issues following a third-party report on the pool completed by Texas Waterworks, based in Farmers Branch. That report also outlined estimated costs for refurbishing or replacing the pool as well as costs for turning it into a large splash pad.

Fun Forest Pool, on the other hand, was continually open for the season, with plans to close before Aug. 13. The pool is the larger of the two and was built in the 1930s. The pool has a better design, and its components are easier to access for repairs.

The splash pad at Woldert would also remain open.

Woldert Pool, built in 1954, is in need of repair, but its design makes it difficult to update. Important parts of the pool’s infrastructure – pipes and pumps are beneath the pool’s concrete base, said Stephanie Franklin, the city’s managing director of culture, recreation and tourism.

There’s a return pipe for the filtration system that has a hole at the base, she said. The pipe is metal, and it’s rusted from years of chlorine. You can’t weld it up because the pipe is so thin.

Historically, city pools open for the Memorial Day weekend at the end of May and stay open until mid-August. This year, Woldert opened three weeks later than the city’s other pool, Fun Forest, for the Juneteenth holiday.

It will be open for a total five weeks this summer.

STRUCTURAL ISSUES

The report, submitted to the city on June 22, said the pool itself looks clean, and the water is clear and bright, but there is visible deterioration of its operating system and large structural issues to overcome.

The pool loses a quarter of its total volume due to evaporation and leaks, the report prepared by Texas Waterworks stated.

The existing pool filter and circulation pump are not capable of providing the minimum flow rate that is required by the Texas Department of Health.

Leaks are likely caused by years of chlorine use to treat the water.

The above ground circulation piping shows evidence of corrosion as well as electrical conduits in the equipment room. A majority of the circulation system’s control values are broken, and there are several visible leaks in the equipment room and likely more underground.

“The potential failure of the circulation piping system should be of great concern as it could be sudden and possibly catastrophic, requiring immediate closure of the facility,” the report states.

REPLACEMENT OPTIONS

The report also outlined three possible concepts for the pool facility – renovation, replacement and repurposing the area into a large splash pad.

The report states the concepts are starting points for discussion and are not comprehensive.

It also suggests allowing $50,000 to construct shade structures at the facility to rennovation or repurposing costs.

The report estimated it would cost $474,000 to $650,000 to renovate the facility, excluding the cost of replacing the bathhouse, which contains showers, changing rooms and bathrooms.

Building a new swimming pool in place of the current one would cost between $650,000 and $850,000. That figure also excludes the cost of replacing the bathhouse.

A splash pad would cost roughly the same as a new pool, between $675,000 and $850,000. The proposal includes demolishing the bathhouse, requiring residents to use the restroom facility at the park’s tennis courts.

Longterm, the option would save some funds, because no lifeguards would be required.

City officials, including Councilman Ed Moore, said the city anticipates hosting more community meetings to see what residents are most interested in pursuing. There was one such meeting in the spring, and more are expected sometime in the fall.

Twitter: @TMTFaith