LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The city of Louisville is opening its first new pool in the West End in more than 60 years.
On Thursday, Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, and Louisville Metro Councilmember Tammy Hawkins, D-District 1, announced Algonquin Park Pool will re-open after more than three years.
Hawkins said it was a promise to her constituents that she’s overjoyed to fulfill.
“I’m so proud that my office gets to be a part of this state-of-the-art facility,” she said. “That this community has been served in this underserved neighborhood.”
The pool tacks on a much-needed tally to a major shortage of public pools in Louisville, with three outdoor pools open this summer and one other still under construction.
Louisville’s only indoor pool, the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center, is also closed this summer for renovations.
Greenberg said reopening the pool was a part of his agenda.
According to a news release, the Louisville Metro Council voted in favor of Mayor Greenberg’s recommendation to redirect $20 million in American Rescue Plan funding toward Louisville parks and libraries in 2023, and $7.2 million of that funding was devoted to the Algonquin Pool renovations.
As a result, Greenberg said the best public pool in Kentucky now belongs to the Algonquin community.
“I went for a run around this neighborhood when I was running for mayor,” he said. “I started and ended the run right here in Algonquin Park and I promised every neighbor that I met that day if I was elected, we would rebuild a bigger and better pool. And friends, today, we all deliver on that promise.”
The new Algonquin Pool offers a range of exciting and inclusive features, the news release said. Families can enjoy the family slide, while swimmers seeking fitness and training can use the lap lanes. Adventurous guests can test their balance on the lily pad bridge, and accessibility is prioritized with a zero-depth entry ramp.
Hawkins said regardless of any disagreements she may have with the mayor or her colleagues, she credits their ability to collaborate to the success of a project that ultimately serves the public.
“When things like this happen, and when it comes in front of us, we make it happen for one another because we can work together for the common good of a community. And that’s what matters,” she said.
She also emphasized the need for the community to protect this investment.
Hawkins said she is committed to doing all she can to keep the pool funded, but it’s up to the community to take pride in what’s now sitting in their backyard.
Starting Saturday, May 24, Algonquin Pool will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., except Tuesdays, when the pool will be closed. The pool season will run through Aug. 2.
