Greenwood approves new aquatics center - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

In a unanimous vote, the Greenwood parks board has approved a new aquatics center.

The city will build it at Freedom Park on the city's southwest side. At the same time crews are demolishing the old pool off Lincoln, which it closed earlier this year because it was unsafe.

To get the new aquatics center at Freedom Park open for next summer, construction has to begin in September.

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Summer just hasn't been the same for the Bennett family this year.

Greenwood closed its aging city pool permanently because of major safety issues, including chunks of concrete that could fall on people in the bathhouse.

So to take her kids for a swim, Beth Bennett has to drive more and pay more to use a pool out of town.

"Like they wanted to go swimming today, it's like we can't," Bennett explained. "Especially for my older daughter who loves to swim now and it's just kinda hard to say, 'No, we can't go swimming!' Because there's really nothing reasonable."

"And I'm hearing about it. People want a swimming pool, not only just the quality of life issues, but to take their kids and have that family quality time together. There's just no place to go [in Greenwood] right now," said Thom Hord, chairman of the Greenwood Pool Committee.

The city asked for public input and considered Craig Park and Northeast Park as well as Freedom Park as a possible location.

Plans originally called for an aquatic center at Northeast Park, but a petition drive sank that proposal in 2008.

Karl Kreck led the fight back then. Now, he's on the pool committee because he says he wants to make sure it's done right.

"Most people were not against the pool, but it was the size and the tax impact it was gonna have at that time," Kreck said. "This time around, we need a pool now. There's no pool there."

Kreck has been traveling to other cities across central Indiana, looking at and learning from their pools.

Greenwood's could range from $3.5 million to $12 million, depending on amenities.

"Just a basic pool, where it's a 25-meter or 50-meter pool with a couple diving wells in it or we're looking all the way to an aquatic center where it would have a lazy river, maybe have some water slides, a diving well, and some of the other amenities you'd see in a bigger splash park much like Plainfield," Hord said.

Beth and her kids have some ideas.

"I'd like something like a splash pad. Something with slides," she said.

She hopes next summer they can enjoy those closer to home.