EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — On Wednesday morning, Steve Schaefer said he believes one of Evansville’s most popular recreational facilities needs to be replaced. The deputy mayor described Hartke Pool’s renovation as “now a part of a bigger discussion for city council.”
Prior to the announcement, several diving boards and a slide were scheduled to be restored, and the center’s roof is currently being repaired due to weather damage from 2022.
Hartke Pool was last seen filled with water in May 2023, but Schaefer’s recommendation may extend the amount of time the pool is not in use.
“[It did not make sense] in our own staff recommendation — to put hundreds of thousands of dollars into a pool that has structural issues that are even larger. So, we’ll be recommending to the City Council to do a bigger study for a full replacement of Hartke pool,” said Schaefer.
The Interim Executive Director of Parks and Recreation also shared that today’s update will likely mean not moving forward with the installation of a new slide.
The facility’s allocation of funds is set to be a part of Evansville’s 2024 budget proposal.
