BUTTE – Memorial Day weekend was probably too ambitious of a deadline for opening Butte’s new outdoor swimming pool.
“We’re delayed and I think most people understand we had a long winter this year,” said Parks and Recreation Director JP Gallagher.
Builders are now aiming at mid-June for the opening of the $8.7 million pool at Stodden Park.
“We don’t want to rush it to get it open we want to make sure it’s here for years to come and that we don’t have the problems that we had with the old pool, so those are the most important things that we do it right the first time and that we have it for many, many years,” Gallagher said.
Construction started last summer and the new pool will include many different features to appeal to people of all ages and swimming ability. The pool designer said it’s a dynamic pool.
“In my opinion, it will be the best one that I’ve been a part of with all the extra activities for everybody to enjoy: the lazy river, the diving board, there’s just so much to do,” said Dillen Liedle, the site superintendent on the project.
You might not recognize Stodden Park lately, it looks more like No Man’s Land, that because there’s more than just a new pool being installed. There’s $20 million worth of construction and upgrades going on at the park right now.
“We’re going to have state-of-the-art facilities here, we’re going to have one-of-a-kind playground, one-of-a-kind pool here, you’re going to have improvements throughout the whole area. Stodden Park’s going to be a destination place,” Gallagher said.
But people will have to wait and see for themselves. The city hopes to have the official opening of the pool on June 20th.
Reporting by John Emeigh for MTN News
