A push is on calling for the repair and upgrading of the only outdoor public swimming pool in Santa Fe.
The Bicentennial Pool, located at 1121 Alto Street, was opened in the summer of 1974 and has for decades been one of the most popular pools in the city.
Earlier this year city officials determined to close the facility for the summer, noting that the pool is in need of a number of foundational repairs to prevent leaks.
Reports indicate that the pool is in need of significant plumbing and gutter work. While the facility has received a number of small repairs over the years, it has never undergone a major renovation.
Now the question of whether it would be less expensive to repair the Bicentennial, or build a new pool at another site, is expected to be subject of a cost analysis before a final decision is made.
In a statement, Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber said: “The work of evaluating how we design a new outdoor facility and where we would site it needs to begin immediately.”
How much it will cost to completely upgrade the Bicentennial is not yet known, but the renovation of another city swimming pool of similar size two years ago came with a $2.4 million price tag.
Meanwhile, area residents have launched a petition drive asking the city to save the Bicentennial.
The petition on the website Change.org notes that the pool is “located in a mixed income neighborhood and accessible to people without cars.”
The petition drive has so far netted nearly 600 signatures.
By Garry Boulard
