Yes, the City of Wheat Ridge plans to replace the 1979 Anderson Park outdoor pool. Design started in September 2026 with an estimated $12 million to $17 million replacement cost, and construction funding is tied to future budgets, including ballot issue 2A.
Anderson Park’s outdoor pool has opened every summer since 1979, and the city says it draws about 22,000 visitors a year. The pool is part of Anderson Park, near West 44th Avenue and Field Street, alongside the park’s fields, playground and picnic areas.
The pool is also near the end of its life. Over the past two years the city studied whether to repair or replace it, ran a community survey, and in August 2026 hired a design team. At the same time, City Council placed a one-cent sales tax increase on the November 3 ballot that lists the pool’s replacement among its uses.
Jason Sirois is a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass and an Applewood resident who works with buyers and sellers across Wheat Ridge. Here is where the Anderson pool project stands, what it is expected to cost, how it might be paid for and what happens next.
Is the Anderson pool closing?
Not yet, but the city says it cannot keep operating the current pool much longer. On its Anderson pool project page, the city says the pool will need to close indefinitely or be replaced within the next three to five years. A separate city page on the ballot measure, updated in September, puts the window at two to four years. Either way, the city’s position is that the pool needs major investment soon.
The problems the city lists are structural, not cosmetic:
- The wall between the family pool and the lap pool is deteriorating, and most pool walls are original to 1979 and do not meet current code.
- The family pool sits on the original slab. Its age and the high water table in the park are causing pipe damage and significant water leaks.
- Electrical surges have damaged pumps, pipes and valves, and the heater is the wrong size for both pools.
- Flooding and shower and toilet problems trace back to a 1970s design, and the mechanical spaces need to be rebuilt to meet safety codes.
The pool had a facelift in 2008, according to the city, but the pool and its foundation are still mostly original. A 2023 facility assessment found more than $1.1 million in immediate repair needs just to keep it operating safely each season.
Why replace it instead of repairing it?
The city’s conclusion is that renovating the 1979 pool is financially impractical because the problems are in the walls, the slab, the plumbing and the mechanical systems all at once. Fixing one system would leave the others failing around it.
That conclusion came out of a year of public input. In 2025 the city ran an English and Spanish survey from March 31 to August 15, presented to community groups, worked with elementary students and set up tables at summer events. More than 2,000 residents gave feedback, according to the city, and replacing the pool came out as one of the strongest priorities in its voter survey.
Where the replacement stands now
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Original opening | 1979, with a 2008 facelift |
| Annual visitors | About 22,000 |
| Immediate repair needs (2023 assessment) | More than $1.1 million |
| Estimated replacement cost | $12 million to $17 million |
| Design firm | Farnsworth Group, $666,662 contract approved Aug. 24, 2026 |
| Owner’s representative | Wember Inc., $291,887 contract approved Aug. 24, 2026 |
| Design kickoff | Sept. 9, 2026, expected to take 10 to 14 months |
| Next public input | Concept options, fall 2026 to winter 2027 |
| Construction | No date set; depends on future budgets |
Sources: City of Wheat Ridge Anderson pool project page (updated Sept. 21, 2026), City of Wheat Ridge announcement of Aug. 25, 2026, City of Wheat Ridge ballot information page (updated Sept. 15, 2026), and a Citizen Portal summary of the Aug. 24 council meeting for contract amounts.
The city has said there are no proposed designs or final renderings yet. Concepts shown during consultant interviews were illustrations only. After design kicked off, the city planned more public engagement on concept options in fall 2026 and winter 2027, followed by preliminary design options.
How the new pool would be paid for, and what 2A has to do with it
Design is funded. Construction is not yet. The city’s project page says construction funding will depend on a future budget year, based on the design and cost estimates, and that demolition and construction will proceed when the city budget allows.
On the November 3, 2026 ballot, Wheat Ridge voters will decide city ballot issue 2A, which asks whether to raise city taxes by up to $11,700,000 in the first full fiscal year through a one-cent increase in the city sales and use tax starting January 1, 2027. The ballot question lists street and infrastructure maintenance, bicycle and pedestrian safety, community space at the closed school sites, pool replacement, and police and city services facilities as the uses.
We broke down the full measure, including the city’s 3.5% current rate and the other projects it would fund, in our post on the Wheat Ridge sales tax ballot question. This post does not take a position on 2A. The city materials reviewed for this post do not say how the pool would be funded if 2A fails, beyond the general statement that construction proceeds when the budget allows.
What it means for homes near Anderson Park and across Wheat Ridge
For owners near Anderson Park, the near-term effect is limited. Design runs into 2027, and no construction schedule or site plan has been released, so it is too early to say how long the pool would be closed during construction or how the park layout might change.
For buyers and sellers, the pool is part of a broader set of public projects on the table in Wheat Ridge, from street rebuilds to the closed Kullerstrand and Wilmore-Davis school sites. The practical step is to treat the city’s project page as the record: it lists the timeline and will post design options as they come. Sellers near the park can point buyers to it, and buyers can check it before making assumptions about summer 2027 and beyond. Our Wheat Ridge community page covers the city’s neighborhoods and homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anderson pool open in summer 2027?
The city has not announced a 2027 season schedule or a construction start date. Design is expected to take 10 to 14 months from September 2026. Check the city’s Anderson pool project page or Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation before summer.
How much will the new Anderson pool cost?
The city estimates $12 million to $17 million to replace it. That is an early range. A firmer number will come once the design is further along.
Who is designing the new Anderson pool?
City Council approved a $666,662 design contract with the Farnsworth Group on August 24, 2026, and a $291,887 owner’s representative contract with Wember Inc. to guide design and construction.
Does ballot issue 2A pay for the new pool?
Issue 2A lists pool replacement among the uses of a proposed one-cent city sales and use tax starting January 1, 2027. It does not set a dollar amount for the pool. Voters decide it on November 3, 2026.
Can I give input on the new pool design?
Yes. The city planned public engagement on concept options for fall 2026 through winter 2027, and later on preliminary designs. Opportunities are posted on the city’s What’s Up Wheat Ridge project page.
Where is Anderson Park in Wheat Ridge?
Anderson Park is near West 44th Avenue and Field Street. Along with the outdoor pool, it has a playground, sports fields, a basketball court and picnic areas.
This post is general information based on City of Wheat Ridge project and ballot pages, Jefferson County election information and a Citizen Portal summary of City Council action available as of October 15, 2026. Cost estimates, schedules and funding for public projects change. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and it does not take a position on any ballot measure. Confirm current details with the City of Wheat Ridge.
