Mountain Rec & Town of Eagle to Fully Replace the Eagle Pool

JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM TOWN OF EAGLE AND MOUNTAIN RECREATION

Eagle, CO – Mountain Recreation and the Town of Eagle have been consistently meeting to plan the rebuilding and reopening of the Eagle Pool. While Mountain Rec and the Town are moving as fast as possible, the scope of the project and cost requires more time, and we regrettably cannot reopen the pool in 2023. Both agencies recognize this is disappointing to the community and it is disappointing to Mountain Rec and Town of Eagle staff and boards too.  

What have the Town of Eagle and Mountain Rec been up to since the last update?
Following an in-depth look at the Eagle Pool last October, the Mountain Rec Board and Town of Eagle Town Council held a joint work session in November 2022 and agreed to pursue full replacement of the Eagle Pool, rather than repairing the existing pool. The forensic geotechnical review showed a full replacement would allow for the best long-term solution to address subsurface soils, while a repair would add more complexity and risk – and be nearly as costly. After the November 2022 meeting, staff from Mountain Rec and the Town moved quickly and architecture firm Barker Rinker Seacat (BRS) was under contract within a few weeks. BRS spent the next three months analyzing considerations and costs associated with replacing the pool in its current location or relocating the pool to its prescribed location in the Haymaker Trailhead Master Plan. 

Immediately after BRS completed their analysis, the Mountain Rec Board and Town of Eagle Town Council met in February 2023. They were presented with information for each option including conceptual plans, conceptual construction cost estimates, service delivery limitations and opportunities, and operating cost impacts. 

With this information in hand, the Mountain Rec Board and Town Council unanimously agreed to replace the pool in its current location, after the analysis revealed that it would be possible to deliver on the community’s interest for future recreation services like health and wellness, additional ice, and gym spaces in Eagle. Keeping the pool in its current location also allows for a more manageable cost figure for each entity who are partners and co-owners of the Eagle Pool. Since February, staff from both agencies and their respective boards have held positive and productive conversations to determine how to fund the $13-15 million price tag for a new pool. Parallel to the funding effort discussions, staff and the design team (BRS) are working to secure a contractor utilizing the Integrated Project Delivery method to help accelerate the project timeline. Part of that process will involve narrowing down needs to hopefully reduce the overall cost of the project, while still meeting the community’s needs. Next steps in 2023 for staff will be to work on the design and construction bid phase of the project. The design process will also include an opportunity for the public to provide feedback on the design of the new pool.  

Mountain Rec and the Town of Eagle are committed to building a pool that meets the community’s needs and are working as fast as possible to accomplish that goal. The Eagle Pool remains a priority for both partners and is being balanced with each agency’s additional priorities for community service and capital improvements. For Mountain Rec, that also includes continuing to meet the needs of its Edwards and Gypsum service hubs. As Mountain Rec and the Town continue planning and discussions, more details and updates will be provided.