The Dallas Park Department presented its revised preliminary aquatics plan to City Council members this week, and it calls for extensive renovations for two neighborhood pools.
The Samuell Grand Park pool would become a $7.5-million “regional aquatics center,” and the Tietze Park pool would get a $3.5-million renovation in the city’s newly revised plan.
An old plan, written in 2012 and approved by the park board in 2014, called for closing all of the city’s aging pools, including Tietze, in favor of three water parks and five new community pools.
This new plan, funded by the sale of parkland at Lake Ray Hubbard, would cost about $52.8 million to implement.
The renovations at Tietze could include creating a “beach entry” with a slope instead of steps, a wading pool for small children and more. The Samuell Grand makeover could include water-park features as well as a lap pool. A community meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at Samuell Grand Recreation Center. Neighborhood input will determine what amenities the pools will have.
The plan taps the Samuell Grand pool as one of three regional aquatics centers because it’s in a large park with many amenities and is conveniently located from a regional perspective. Last year, it was the fifth most-used city pool with just under 9,000 visitors.
The Tietze pool was built in 1957 and also is one of the most-used city pools, drawing 10,397 visitors in 2014.
