AKRON, Ohio — It may be mid-November, but the City of Akron is already looking forward to summer 2023.
The Perkins pool is one of two outdoor public pools in Akron and for years it’s been in need of some much-needed upgrades. A multi-million-dollar refresh is on the way that the city feels will make a splash in the neighborhood.
“We feel that our community deserves nice, high-quality public spaces that they can enjoy,” said Catey Breck, Akron’s director of strategic development. “We look at this as a place, no matter how old you are, how young you are, pools are important. Aquatics are incredibly popular in the city.”
The $5.5 million plan calls for a replacement of the pool, a climbing wall, 25-meter lap lanes, and the addition of a 15-foot slide. The existing bathhouse is also scheduled to receive a makeover in the project that will completely transform the entire facility,
“This is not an attractive pool. It doesn’t really say to the community ‘we care about what you think. The idea is that residents should e able to walk to the pool,” Breck said. “I think you notice the parking lot is really small. That’s because we want people from the neighborhood to come here.”
The project will be funded by money from the American Rescue Plan Act. When looking to replace the facility that was originally built in the 1960s, city officials used feedback from the public to get their feet wet on the new project.
“They wanted those attractive amenities and those features that maybe you would see at a suburban community, But this will be here in Akron,” said Breck.
Creating and maintaining a fun and safe public spaces for the community has been a priority for the city in recent years. The city held a groundbreaking ceremony earlier this month and construction is expected to be completed by early next summer.
The new pool will officially reopen in July of 2023.
“We just felt as though wanting to give you our young people the opportunity to play and get outside of the house and have fun with their friends,” Breck said.
