Juneau’s Augustus Brown Pool could reopen as soon as March after a multi-million dollar renovation over the past year.
City Aquatics Manager Terra Patterson said the downtown pool means a lot to the thousands of patrons who have used it over the decades.
“It’s not just a swimming pool, it’s not just a place where people go and swim laps — it’s actually a spot where community gathers,” she said.
The project, which began last April, is the first major renovation in decades for the more than 50-year-old pool. Juneau Parks and Recreation Director George Schaaf said the city aims to re-open it by early March — but that could shift depending on staffing.
“We’re running a little bit behind schedule because of some supply chain issues and delays that we had along the way, but nothing too bad considering how big of a project it was,” he said.
Schaaf said contractors have spent the past 10 months on upgrades that most pool users won’t actually see — like new boilers, electric plumbing and ventilation. The cost is about $8 million, funded from a ballot proposition passed in 2017 and an Assembly appropriation in 2021.
Patterson said many of the pool’s users have been swimming at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center in the Mendenhall Valley in the meantime.
“They’ve been patient to a point but we can tell they’re very ready to have the second pool reopened,” she said. “I think this has been a really good exercise in showing why Juneau needs two pools.”
Patterson said the city will soon begin hiring lifeguards, aquatic attendants and swim instructors. She said the city needs to rebuild about 80% of its past staffing to reopen the pool.
Contractors are expected to complete the project by mid-February.
