Renovations have begun on civic center pool

Usually, during the Parkland’s rain-vs.-snow months — when precipitation forms seem to compete to see which ones can create the most miserable weather conditions — members of the Farmington Community Civic Center can make their way to the two indoor pools for healthy, aquatic exercise that harkens to warmer weather and is easier on cold-affected joints.

But the two pools are undergoing a massive renovation that started Friday (Feb. 11) and will breathe new life into the structures that were first built in the mid-1990s.

City Administrator Greg Beavers said Thursday said the updates involve infrastructure more than design.

“The bulk of the work is removing and replacing the plaster and deck surface. Schilli Plastering from STL is the contractor that was awarded the work,” he emailed. “We are also replacing much of the electric service for the pool area, due to age and corrosion of the equipment from chlorine. We do not have a general contractor for the work.

We are performing that work with our own crews.”

He added that the chlorination systems are also being replaced, for a total cost of about $250,000.

Brian Hickey, aquatics and program coordinator for the civic center since December, said the way he understands it, there’s only been one renovation in the last 26 years since the civic center was built. He happens to have been among the first lifeguards hired by the center when it first opened in 1996.

“We’ve done painting over the years, I know we took the frog out and replaced it with the fish. And they did some renovations back then, but that was about the last time. This time they’re starting over,” he said. “They have been plastering and redoing the bottoms of the pools every year. And we’re just to the point where we couldn’t do it anymore. It has to be completely redone.”

Hickey said the old plaster is being stripped and replaced with a product called Pebble Tec, which is purported on that company’s website to be the original aggregate pool finish offering durability and a more natural texture. The color is expected to be blue. Hickey said the deck surface around the pool is also being replaced.

March 6 is the estimated date for the project to be completed, he said. Good news for area swimmers, since he said the pool stays pretty busy.

“We have classes in there every morning, Monday through Friday,” he said. “And then before that, when we open at 5 a.m. there are lap swimmers in there. And they’re usually there till around 8:30.”

Hickey said when it’s finished, the area will still have a 25-yard, 6-lane pool and a leisure pool with a 24′ corkscrew slide, lazy river, raindrop fountain, vortex whirlpool and a kiddy fish slide.

Farmington Civic Center’s aquatics and program coordinator, Brian Hickey, shows off the work being done to both pools. 

The sign at the civic center’s reception desk gives bad news and good news — no swimming for now, but the renovation work should be done in early March if everything goes according to plan.

The estimated $250,000 project is being produced by Schilli Plastering Co. of St. Louis, which is installing Pebble Tec surfaces.

The corkscrew slide, lazy river, raindrop fountain, vortex whirlpool and kiddy fish slide will all still be there in early March when the pool is reopened, but the infrastructure of the pool and deck surfaces, as well as the chlorination system, will be brand new.

Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com.