White Park’s kiddie pool was transformed into a colorful and kid-focused splash pad in 2022 as part of a plan to upgrade each of the city’s seven public pools. With its debut last summer, the park shattered its previous summer attendance record, and the city sold more than double its typical number of non-resident pool passes.

Up for renovation this year is the Garrison Park pool, and city officials have suggested that it also be converted into a splash pad. A meeting will be held to gather resident input this spring. 

Because of lifeguard staff shortages, that specific pool has not been open since the summer of 2019. Since it historically has the lowest attendance, it’s the first to be nixed when the city doesn’t have enough guards to go around.

Splash pads, requiring only one lifeguard on duty rather than three, have lower staffing needs than pools, Parks and Recreation Director David Gill told Concord city councilors at their regular meeting Monday night. Converting Garrison to a splash pad makes it more likely the city would be able to open all of its aquatic facilities in the summer. A splash pad is also able to have a longer season, opening earlier and closing later in the season.

Putting in a splash pad at Garrison was recommended by the city’s Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee in December.

“This is a great opportunity to provide another cooling opportunity, particularly for our youngest members of the community,” said Councilor Nathan Fennessey, who sits on the committee.

The conversion would, however, cost more than a standard renovation by about $100,000, according to Gill, while upkeep expenses are about the same for the two types of aquatic facilities. Next year’s budget currently includes $650,000 for the Garrison renovation, a report accompanying the committee’s recommendation states.

“This is not a money-saving opportunity. This is a use and availability to the people question,” City Manager Tom Aspell noted.

Councilor Stacey Brown, who represents Ward 5 where Garrison Park is located, expressed reservations about removing two pools relatively close to each other.

At White Park, the splash pad replaced a kiddie pool, whereas Garrison is currently full-size. Putting a splash pad at Garrison could take away the opportunity for her adult constituents to have a neighborhood pool and for kids to take swim lessons close to home, Brown said.

“The splash pad really is better for children. A pool is better for adults and more community members,” Brown said. “I think this really is a service that residents have earned.”

Residents living near Garrison Park have not had an open neighborhood pool since 2019 — and it is unclear, if not unlikely, that would change in the near future without a marked uptick in the lifeguard labor market.

The city has been renovating its pools one-by-one over the last eight years. Only Garrison and Rollins facilities are yet to be updated.

The public will have an opportunity to share their thoughts on the pool’s future at a meeting sometime before March 15. Its exact date and location has not yet been announced, but Gill said it would likely be near that part of the city.

If funding for the renovation is approved in the city budget, pool renovation – in whatever form – could begin sometime this calendar year.