Des Moines residents petition to save Birdland Pool from closure
Des Moines residents are starting a from closure due to budget shortfalls and maintenance issues.
The city is trying to deal with a $17 million budget shortfall.
"First reaction was that it was sad," said Liz Weinheimer, a Birdland Pool fan.
"Disaster. Disappointment," said Karissa Chavarria, another Birdland Pool fan.
Chavarria and Weinheimer were attending a swim meet at North High School. Both are big fans of swimming and are upset after hearing Birdland Pool is in danger of closing. Weinheimer has a petition with 1,400 signatures so far to save it.
"This is an Olympic-sized swimming pool, so it would be a huge loss, I think. Not only to the swimming community, but the community just around here," Weinheimer said.
"Birdland has filtration issues, mechanical issues built in the 1920s," said Ben Page, Des Moines Parks and Recreation director.
Page said Birdland Pool is the least used city pool. Closing it after the 2025 swimming season would save $200,000 in the operating budget and $2 to $3 million in repairs.
"We weren't picking on Birdland or that neighborhood; we just had to find one that was again the lowest attended, the most expensive to upgrade, as well as have a backup plan to have a new facility built within a mile of it," Page said.
Page says work is underway on the new Reichardt Recreation Center just a mile away from Birdland. It will offer year-round swimming with free or reduced cost. But Birdland neighbors are not yet convinced.
"If you don't want crime levels to go up or anything like that, especially with the younger youth, if you start taking away more things, especially the pool they're going to, they're going to find other things," Chavarria said.
The Des Moines City Council will make a final decision on whether to close Birdland Pool at its budget meetings this spring.