PORT ANGELES — The razing of William Shore Memorial Pool began in earnest last week with more demolition in the works.
Crews have removed windows from the south wall and begun gutting the aquatic center in an initial phase of the $20 million renovation of the community pool at 225 E. Fifth St. in Port Angeles.
“It’s really picking up speed now, and we’ll actually start to pick up more speed next week,” pool district Executive Director Steve Burke said Friday.
Neeley Construction of Puyallup and two subcontractors began to raze the pool last Monday. Two more subcontractors were scheduled to be on site this week.
The 10,000-square-foot expansion and renovation of the 58-year-old pool is expected to take about 10 months.
“We’re going to start seeing a lot of progress in the next couple weeks, very dramatic progress,” Burke said.
The pool closed to the public May 24. Neeley Construction has until June 1, 2020, to complete the project under the approved contract.
The former city pool is now owned and operated by a junior taxing district that shares a boundary with the Port Angeles School District.
Cherie Kidd, William Shore Memorial Pool District board president and City Council member, toured the aquatic center with Greg Shield, president of the pool’s advisory committee, and Project Manager Jessica Compton on Friday.
“It was very exciting to see the progress happening at the pool,” Kidd said.
“We’ve worked so long and so hard on making plans for expansion and providing a pool for the future generations. It’s going to be fabulous.”
William Shore Pool outgrew its space and was in need of significant repairs, district officials have said.
The long-planned expansion and remodeling will add a children’s splash and play area, new locker rooms, a warm-water therapy pool and other amenities, allowing the aquatic center to operate multiple programs at the same time.
The project is largely funded by bonds that were issued by the pool district and cash reserves, Burke has said.
District voters in 2017 approved an increase that expanded the district’s debt capacity by $3.5 million up to $10 million.
Grant funding accounts for about 26 percent of the construction costs, Burke has said.
For information about the expansion, visit the William Shore Pool website at www.williamshorepool.org.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
The former William Shore Memorial Pool stands partially gutted Thursday as crews work to demolish the structure, making way for a new pool on the site at Fifth and Lincoln streets in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Shore Pool Project Manager Jessica Compton points out a pile of rubble from a former concession stand during a tour of the pool site Friday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
