Eugene, Oregon's oldest swimming pool, the Sheldon Pool, will close June 18 until mid-October while city officials are busy fixing the plumbing leaks. The pool, which was built in 1965, will close its doors for the summer because of rusting water pipes, which are causing the pool to leak about 240,000 gallons of water per month, now seeping into the soil. The repairs are estimated to cost up to $1.25 million.
City officials say they knew about the leaking pipes for months, but they planned to replace the pipes during the summer because the residents will have other options if they want to go swimming. The Sheldon Pool is one of three public pools in the area, so those who are used to taking aquatic fitness classes or are regular visitors can travel to one of the other swimming pools nearby, where additional classes have been added for convenience.
Although the repair, which is estimated to cost up to $1.25 million, will take several months, city officials believe the massive renovation will make it so the residents won't have to worry about the swimming pool closing for another 10 years.
