Pool updates: Latest design for Kuehn, construction progress at McKennan

A new pool at Kuehn Park is on track to start construction next year, and a new wading pool at McKennan Park is on schedule to be ready for next year’s swim season.

An updated design for Kuehn was shared last week at a public open house.

It’s consistent with what was released previously in terms of amenities, including three separate areas of water:

• A pool for fitness laps that also includes diving boards, climbing walls and basketball hoops.
• A leisure river pool that includes a tube slide.
• An activities pool that starts at zero depth and goes to 2 feet and includes a water play structure and spray features.

There’s also extensive seating and some shade areas shown because the pool’s capacity will more than double from 290 visitors to more than 700.

“We received a ton of feedback during the master plan process, and nothing has really changed since then,” said Mike Patten, the city’s park development manager.

Construction is set to begin in the spring with an opening for the 2028 swim season. The estimated $18 million project is being funded through a bond that also includes the newly approved Frank Olson Park indoor recreation center.

At McKennan Park, construction on the wading pool is on track to open it for the 2026 swim season.

“The main part of the pool is constructed,” Patten said.

“The buildings are up out of the ground. Basically, we’re trying to get everything buttoned up so they can finish work on the inside of the building this winter.”

A gift from neighborhood residents Pierce and Barbara McDowell allowed for an expanded concessions area, architectural elements to the bath/warming house and operations building, shade structures, additional spray features in the pool and a variety of park amenities such as planters, benches and a sculpture.

By Thanksgiving, “hopefully the bulk of the outside building work will be done, and in the spring all we’ll have to do is some landscaping and site concrete, and that (the pool) will be open in time for swim season.”