Anderson_Pool_Replacement_Public_Engagement_Report_2025.pdf

Anderson Pool Replacement Public Engagement Report 2025

Executive Summary

Introduction

Background

Need for the Project

Public Engagement 2025

Engagement Strategy

Online Engagement Platform

Public Survey

Public Stories

Outreach to Targeted Groups

Public Tabling

Marketing and Communications

Next Steps

Executive Summary The Anderson Outdoor Pool, a beloved community asset since 1979, is nearing the end of its functional lifespan. A 2023 assessment revealed over $1.1 million in short-term repair needs to keep the pool open annually, with significantly higher long-term costs that make a renovation unfeasible. Replacement of the pool within the next 4-5 years is necessary, with the only alternative being closing the pool. Replacement costs are estimated at $12–$17 million. Due to the scale of the investment and limits of the City’s General Fund, creative financing strategies and funding partnerships will be essential.

In 2025, Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation launched a comprehensive public engagement campaign to gather input on the future of Anderson Pool. Between April and August, over 4,700 residents visited the project’s website, with over 2,000 submitting survey responses, stories, or feedback. Engagement activities included surveys in English and Spanish, tabling at community events, outreach to schools and camps, and stakeholder presentations.

Responses overwhelmingly supported replacing the pool and provided valuable insight into community priorities for new amenities and features.

The engagement process successfully built early public support, laid the groundwork for transparent decision-making, and provided essential guidance for future project phases.

Next steps include securing approximately $800,000 in funding for the design phase, selecting a design firm through an RFP process, and conducting additional rounds of engagement to refine design concepts. The City will continue to explore funding opportunities to ensure that Anderson Pool remains a vibrant, accessible, and sustainable recreation hub for the Wheat Ridge community well into the future.

Introduction Anderson Outdoor Pool, located within Anderson Park at W. 44th Avenue and Field Street and along the regional Clear Creek Trail, originally opened in 1979 and has been open to the community annually in the summers since. Despite a facelift in 2008, Anderson Pool and the foundation it’s built on remain mostly original to its 1979 construction, and its aging infrastructure is nearing the end of its functional life. Within the next 3-5 years, the 2025-2030 timeframe, the pool will need to be closed indefinitely or replaced at an estimated cost of $12M-$17M.

In 2025, Parks and Recreation staff implemented a comprehensive community engagement and project planning campaign from April 1st-August 15th. The guiding questions were asking residents: 1) whether or not they support replacing the outdoor pool and 2) if they want to see the pool replaced and continue to be available to the community, what amenities would they like to see included in the design for the new pool.

The Anderson Pool is heavily used by the community, with frequent waitlists on the weekends. Rationale for doing this engagement phase of the project in 2025 is to be proactive with planning for the eventual closure, demolition, and replacement of the pool. Getting initial public feedback and support builds support for the design and construction phases of the project and allows staff to more strategically plan out those subsequent phases. This community listening work also increases the likelihood of securing funding partnerships for the capital phase of the project.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/fchuESh4GSHZ7upV8 https://maps.app.goo.gl/fchuESh4GSHZ7upV8

Background Anderson Pool originally opened in 1979 as a 50-meter lap pool, with limited additional amenities. The outdoor pool is attached to the Anderson Building which housed locker rooms and, over the years, served as the original city hall and municipal offices, a fire station, and a recreation center.

In 2007-2008, the outdoor pool was renovated to install a steel wall in the original lap pool to shorten the original pool into a shorter, 25-meter lap pool and add a family/leisure pool doweled on the old pool’s base with a sloped “beach entry” and various amenities for kids. The facility infrastructure, the lap pool floor and main drain, and three lap pool walls remained original to 1979.

In 2018-2019, Anderson Park and the Anderson Building, including the locker rooms, were renovated as part of the voter-passed 2E bond projects. This capital project did not include any work directly with the pool itself but did renovate the locker rooms and lifeguard office.

In 2023, a pool assessment was conducted by a nationally recognized and highly regarded contractor with significant experience in commercial pool builds, renovation, and maintenance. At the conclusion of the pool assessment, the short-term needed investment that was identified as necessary to maintain safe operations of Anderson Pool was over $1.1 million.

This assessment did not include estimated costs for recurring maintenance needs or long-term costs, which will be much higher. There are no current safety concerns with the existing Anderson Pool.

By 2030 at the latest and potentially sooner, a significant public investment is needed for the pool to be fully replaced, or it will need to be closed within the next 3-5 years. A renovation is not feasible given the existing issues and age of the pool.

The City cannot afford to fund this project fully out of the General Fund (operating fund).

Replacing the pool will include design, demolition, and construction phases which are, in total, estimated to cost $12M-$17M. For context, the 2025 City General Fund budget is about $49M. The City has ongoing and upcoming project commitments for items like streets, public facilities, public safety, and ongoing operations. To afford this potential pool replacement, the City will likely have to look at creative financing options, grants, partnerships, and other methods, in addition to contributing some General Fund dollars.

Need for the Project The current pool is approaching the end of its lifespan. As the current pool approaches the end of its lifespan, city staff began engaging the public to determine if replacing the pool is a community priority.

Current infrastructure and mechanical issues include:

Infrastructure:

• The wall between the family and lap pools does not have enough structural steel, so damage to both pool shells is occurring faster than it should.

• All but the west wall of the lap pool is original from 1979, and any renovation would require a complete rebuild of the old parts to bring it up to current codes. This would be needed regardless due to wear and tear on the old build.

• The family pool was built on the existing pool slab from the 1979 pool, and the age of the slab combined with a high water table has led to irreparable damage to the pipes that serve the family pool. Continuing to chase and repair pipe breaks indefinitely isn’t financially viable, and there is currently significant water waste in both pools from damage over time. This leads to increased chemical costs as well as increased utility costs as we have to heat and treat a larger than normal amount of fresh water to keep the pools full.

• There are consistent electrical surges, which cause damage to the pool pumps and exposed pipes/valves in the mechanical spaces. The repeated surges lead to a greatly reduced lifespan of that equipment.

• The civil water system is not designed for the kind of use we see with a commercial pool, so there is frequent flooding in the parking lot while trying to complete normal pool maintenance tasks, as well as consistent challenges with toilets and showers – which are required to be functional to keep the pool open.

• The metal gutters on the lap pool are starting to significantly show their age, particularly at welded joints, and will need to undergo significant repairs in the near future or be totally replaced.

• The plaster in the lap pool is also in fair to poor condition and will need to be replaced in the near future.

Mechanical:

• The mechanical spaces are not up to current safety codes and need to be rebuilt for the safety of pool operators.

• The pool heater isn’t properly sized, causing overheating of the family pool and underheating of the lap pool.

• The slide catch pool and the lap pool are inter-connected, which leads to circulation problems in both pools.

• The infrastructure challenges noted above lead to a lot of mechanical failures far before the end of their normal lifespan. These failures often occur without warning, which can cause closures until repaired. If parts are easy to source, that may be short – but if parts are not in stock in Colorado, this can be an extended closure.

Public Engagement 2025 Engagement Strategy The engagement strategy for this project, from April 1st- August 15th, 2025, included:

• Transparency about the issues with the current pool, the expected remaining lifespan, and the projected cost of replacing the pool

• Straightforward questions to the community including the two guiding questions and the short, 6-question public survey

• Physical communications including banners at the pool, yard signs throughout the community, ads on TV screens at Recreation Centers, and flyers

• Digital communications including a project website on WhatsUpWheatRidge.com and links from the city website and parks and recreation website

• Social media posts

• Direct physical (mailed) and digital (emailed) communications

• Tabling presences at community events and at the Anderson Pool

• Presentations at stakeholder meetings

• Engagement with local elementary school students and youth camps

• Facilitating a stakeholder meeting recapping the engagement and discussing next steps

Online Engagement Platform The City of Wheat Ridge uses WhatsUpWheatRidge.com for digital public engagement.

Users can access the content without logging in, but those that register for the site and login can opt in to receiving project updates and participating in raffles. It also gives the City a way of documenting demographics for users engaging with a project.

During this engagement project, 4,721 visitors accessed the project website and 2,009 contributed to the project via a story, survey response, or question about the project.

https://whatsupwheatridge.com/anderson-pool?tool=news_feed#tool_tab

The overall project description and interactive content was included in both English and Spanish.

Types of content included on the project website included:

• 11 FAQs about the project

• 6-question community survey

• An opportunity to post a personal story about the project and/or the pool

• “News Feed” function where project updates were posted

• Project timeline with key dates

• Links and contact info for staff involved in the project

Public Survey The 6-question public survey had 1,997 responses. Results for questions 1-5 are below.

Question #6 was open-ended, and responses are categorized.

Question #6: What else should we know? This is your opportunity to provide open-ended feedback about this upcoming community decision and potential project:

Answer Category Total # of Answers General Support 1,587 General Opposition 28 Opposition related to Cost 38 Support for Kids Amenities 18 Support for Adult Amenities 4 Support for Shade/Trees 43 Support for Concessions 26 Support for Swim Lessons 16 Support for Bigger/More Diving Boards 20 Support for More Lap Lanes 51 Support for Bigger/More Slides 26 Related to Pool Depth/Shallow to Deeper 48 Support for Lounge/Picnic Areas 50 Related to Anderson Building 4 Support for an Added Amenity 73 Miscellaneous 267 Total Responses* 2,299 *Please note: some responses covered more than one category and are included in multiple rows.There were 1,997 total responses to the survey, with about two-thirds choosing to leave some sort of comment/answer to question #6.

Public Stories 12 public stories were submitted by community members. They all supported replacing the Anderson Pool and are available on whatsupwheatridge.com/anderson-pool.

Outreach to Targeted Groups IDEA Committee

Staff presented the project to the City’s resident Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) committee on 5/13 and solicited feedback on the engagement approach to help it become more equitable and accessible to all community members.

Feedback from that discussion, which was later acted upon, included adding a version of the survey in Spanish and reaching out directly to Anderson Park user groups about the project.

City Council

Staff presented the project to Wheat Ridge’s elected City Council at their 4/7 Study Session. Councilmembers were generally supportive of the engagement strategy and the project overall. Certain Councilmembers offered to be more involved in the engagement phase of the project.

Parks & Recreation Commission

Staff presented the project to Wheat Ridge’s appointed Parks and Recreation Commission on 4/16. Commissioners were supportive of the engagement strategy and project overall, particularly given Wheat Ridge’s population recently trending younger.

https://whatsupwheatridge.com/anderson-pool?tool=story_telling_tool#tool_tab

Elementary Schools

Staff visited three local elementary schools and did engagement activities with students: 4th graders from Prospect Valley’s on 5/12, an assortment of students from Compass Montessori on 5/13, and all three 5th grade classes from Stevens Elementary on 5/14. Staff facilitated focus groups, a budgeting activity for a new pool, and ranking pool amenity options with the students. Students particularly supported ”larger” and more slides, a concession stand, shade and lounge areas, and added amenities such as a climbing wall or obstacle course.

Sweet Ridge

On 7/15, staff facilitated activities with summer campers from Sweet Ridge Studios. The campers designed their own “dream pools,” ranked pool amenities, and answered focus group questions.

Sun Camp

On 7/25 team members engaged over 60 Wheat Ridge summer Sun Camp participants ages 6-12 to gain feedback on what types of amenities they would like to see in a new pool. Sun Camp participants ages 6-8 utilized Anderson Pool 3 days a week throughout the 9 weeks of summer camp, and ages 9-12 utilized Anderson Pool one day a week throughout the summer.

Stakeholder Meeting

On 8/5, staff hosted a stakeholder meeting at the Anderson Pool. Local elected officials, partner agencies, representatives from Wheat Ridge Piranhas, and interested community members attended. Staff presented the issues with the current pool, the engagement work completed in 2025 and laid out a potential timeline and approach to replacing the pool.

Misc Presentations and Outreach

In addition to the direct engagement detailed above, staff also:

• Presented to the Wheat Ridge Optimist Club

• Presented to the Wheat Ridge Business Association

• Sent flyers to local middle schools and the high school

• Sent flyers to Mindful Moments, a local partner kids’ camp

• Distributed flyers to families participating in swim lessons

• Met with board members from the Piranhas Swim Club

• Met with lifeguards about the project and solicited feedback

Public Tabling To connect directly with the community, staff hosted tabling events at recreation facilities and popular community gatherings. These events provided opportunities to share information about the campaign, answer questions, and encourage residents to participate in providing feedback.

Interactive boards invited families to design their “dream pool” and select future amenities, creating a fun and engaging way to collect input.

Multiple feedback options were available, including paper surveys, a QR code linking directly to the survey, and an on-site iPad for those without access to a personal device.

Tabling Summary:

• April 5: Splash and Search Egg Hunt at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, prior to Anderson Pool’s opening

• May 30 & June 11: Tabling at Anderson Pool (12–3 p.m.)

• June 18: Performances in the Park featuring Raquel and the Wildflowers at

Anderson Park, engaging an average of 635 attendees per show

• June 28: Ridgefest, hosted by Localworks at Anderson Park, with approximately

2,250 people in attendance

• July 9: Morning children’s performance of Mr. Kneel at Performances in the Park, Anderson Park with an average of 180 attendees per show

• July 12: Tabling outside Anderson Building to ensure open access without requiring facility admission

• August 9: Recreation Team joined the Carnation Festival Parade on 38th Avenue with a themed float promoting the campaign and encouraging final survey participation

Marketing and Communications Marketing efforts used a comprehensive mix of digital, print, outdoor, and in-facility outreach to maximize visibility. This multi-channel approach generated measurable engagement — from thousands of link clicks and QR code scans to strong social media reach — ensuring consistent visibility and awareness in community spaces.

Email Marketing

• Department Newsletter -13,000+ subscribers o May: 22 link clicks o June: 40 link clicks o July: 18 link clicks o August: 8 link clicks

• What’s Up Wheat Ridge Database - 3,258 sends, 400 clicks

Activity Guide

• Available digitally online, mailed to opted-in households, and printed at Recreation Centers and City Hall

• 10,000 mailed and printed each season

• 4,500 average online views per guide

• QR Code Scans:

o Summer Guide: 163 o Fall/Winter Guide: 90

Connections Newspaper

• Mailed to every Wheat Ridge resident

• 92 QR code scans

Social Media

• April 9 organic post o Instagram: 1,775 views, 88 interactions o Facebook: 13,498 views, 6,667 reach, 51 interactions, 455 link clicks

• June 2 organic post o Instagram: 864 views, 28 interactions o Facebook: 576 views, 265 reach, 6 interactions, 3 link clicks

• June 17 organic post o Instagram: 469 views, 14 interactions o Facebook: 614 views, 380 reach, 8 interactions, 23 link clicks

Print & On-Site Materials

• Flyers (English & Spanish): Available at park kiosks and recreation centers o 87 QR code scans

• Display Cases:

o Recreation Center: 0 QR code scans o Anderson Building:

Featured “Keep Anderson Afloat” info on display case and slat wall

• A-Frame Posters: Used at tabling events – 26 QR code scans

• Reach Digital Display Screen: At Recreation Center -0 QR code scans

• Outdoor Banner: Placed on Anderson Pool fence and at the City of Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival – 57 QR code scans

• Wheat Ridge Living Magazine Feature: July issue of local print magazine

• Yard Signs: 20 yard signs placed at the Recreation Center, around the Anderson Building & Park, City Hall, Prospect Park, and other high-traffic Greenbelt areas – 422 QR code scans

Next Steps

• Securing funding for the design phase of the project, estimated at approximately

$800k

• Developing a request for proposal (RFP), including the project scope, for a design firm to lead the design plus additional community engagement rounds

• Issuing the RFP, reviewing the bids, selecting a design firm, and contracting with the selected design firm

• Completing the design phase, which generally will include:

o Developing concept options o Conducting community engagement (round 1) to learn public preferences for direction of the project concept o Refining the concept into an initial design o Conducting community engagement (round 2) to learn public preferences for specific decisions within the project design o Finalizing the project design with construction estimates

• Securing funding for the construction phase, which will likely range from $11M- $16M depending on decisions made with the project design and future construction cost changes

• Developing an RFP, including the project scope, for a construction firm to lead the demolition and construction of the new pool

• Issuing the RFP, reviewing the bids, selecting a construction firm, and contracting with the selected construction firm

• Completing the demolition phase

• Completing the construction phase

Next Steps