The Carbondale pool, formerly known as the John M. Fleet Pool, named after a Carbondale mayor, was originally built in 1978. Since its creation, the pool has served the community as a hub for connection, recreation and education. Despite its importance, and likely due in part to its popularity, the pool had endured some wear and tear over its 47 years. That and a few minor unanticipated design errors led to a need and desire for something new and improved.
This was the impetus of a six-year mission to replace the Carbondale pool and introduce the new Carbondale Aquatics Center — coming in the spring of 2026. To fill a funding gap and include all of the features the people want, the Parks and Recreation Department launched the “Let’s Make a Splash” fundraising campaign.
“Swimming is obviously an important skill for any youth to have, especially living around here,” said Liza Logan, the youth member of the Parks and Recreation Commission. “Water-related deaths are a lot more common than we think.”
Which makes such services as the Aquatics Center’s anticipated affordable learn-to-swim opportunities that much more important.
Logan is passionate about the pool and has a personal connection with it. Her brother, Misha, used to work as a lifeguard there before it closed for renovation. She recalled him constantly telling her about “the amount of times it would break, or certain parts would need to be fixed.” She added, “Then, that would affect the revenue because the pools would have to be closed for these extended periods of time during peak season.”
The pool has always been an affordable option for local residents and visitors. But, on the flip side, “It was always running on a loss,” explained a spokesperson for the campaign. “The revenue that was generated was trying [but] failing to generate enough to pay the salaries [to] make it a well-run facility.” This was partly due to subsidized admissions, which allowed town residents to swim and play even if they couldn’t afford the total price of a ticket.
The final price point for the Carbondale Aquatics Center is still yet to be known for certain, but is expected to be around $11 million. That is up from the initial estimate in 2020, which was for $7 million. At the time of the first estimate, the project received an $8 million bond, approved by a town-wide majority vote. That, of course, falls short of what is now projected.
The reasons for the higher cost are inflation and the cost of construction materials. The “Let’s Make a Splash” capital campaign intends to close the gap and give Carbondalians what they asked for. Back in 2020, more than 1,200 people responded to a survey, and that community input influenced the direction the Aquatics Center would take.
Logan, the rest of the department and kids in Carbondale and beyond are clearly passionate to bring the Aquatics Center to fruition, and include all of the bells and whistles as it was initially designed. But they need community support to get across the finish line. During one tabling event, a youngster donated $5 of his own money toward the campaign, which speaks to the buy-in from the youth.
Thus far, the “Let’s Make a Splash” campaign has raised about $1.6 million. The goal is $2.5 million.
According to an information pamphlet, the new pool will have a six-lane lap pool, a 2,500 square-foot recreation pool with a toddler shelf, a 16-person hot tub, a 2,700 square-foot building for changing rooms, offices, storage and more, a modern bathhouse, a diving board, a climbing wall and multiple shade structures. The new Aquatics Center will also be fully electronically powered — the first of its kind in Colorado.
For more information or to donate to the “Let’s Make a Splash” campaign, visit www.carbondaleconnect.org/pool
Anyone can contribute anywhere from $1 to whatever it is they can afford. Community members who donate at least $1,000 will be recognized on a plaque at the entrance to the pool.