A recent ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of renovations to the Bicentennial Pool in Santa Fe.
"We really have to thank our governing body for last year having the vision and foresight to really invest in this community gem," Community Health and Safety Department Director Kyra Ochoa said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, KRQE News reported in July. "This resource that so many of us grew up coming to and want our kids to keep coming to."
Santa Fe's Aquatics Section of the Recreation Division announced the reopening of the pool that underwent a $2.3 million makeover that began in 2020 when the pool was closed due to leaks.
The leaks to the pool's plumbing and jet systems caused 130,000 gallons of water to leak every month, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported in June. Staff members attempted to repair the leaks in time for the 2021 summer season, but didn't have success. In October, the City Council approved a contract with Davenport Construction Management to repair the leaks and make other improvements, including a new lap pool, new decking, and landscaping. New energy-saving lighting and water-saving fixtures added eco-friendly features and some preventive maintenance measures.
"It's an older swimming pool, and it's been operational since probably the late '70s," City Community Services director Maria Sanchez-Tucker said in the Santa Fe New Mexican article. "It just needed some upgrades to modernize it and to make it sustainable for the future."
The three-phase project included one month for teardown, six months of reconstruction, and two months of rehabilitation and upgrades.
The facility has two pools. One is used for recreational swimming, while the tot pool is for smaller children.