Urbandale Pool To Reopen Saturday

A little good news and bad news when it comes the Urbandale Public Pool.

The pool will reopen, but you'll have to wait until the first of the year.

The city of Urbandale announced on its website that the pool will reopen on Jan. 5.

On Oct. 30, the City Council approved replacing the liner at a cost of $47,000.

“After evaluating all the options, the City Council decided that replacing the pool liner will provide the most expedient way to get the pool back open and provide safe swimming for our patrons,” said Jan Herke, director of Urbandale Parks and Recreation. “We will resume our usual aquatic classes and programs in January. Our winter/spring 2013 Program Guide available on Dec. 11 will include information as to how to register for these activities.”

The pool, the city's only public pool, was closed on Aug. 27 for annual maintenance and to address the falling pool liner.

The city determined after evaluation that the pool would not re-open until the line was replaced, removed or another solution was found.

The damaged liner was removed on Sept. 21.

The liner was last replaced three years ago, according to a Des Moines Register report.

Herke said the liner should not have deteriorated after only three years and that chemicals used in the pool could be to blame.

According to the Des Moines Register, the projected loss of revenue from the fall season of swim lessons and water programs is about $5,500.

Revenue from group rentals - including a swim club, general admissions and other revenue - was about $25,000 from September to December 2011, Herke told the Register.