After many attempts to open the City's Cal Oaks Sports Park Pool for the summer season, the City is saddened to share that the pool has officially "exceeded its useful lifespan." This means that it is unsafe to reopen to the community.
This pool was built before the City of Murrieta incorporated in 1991 and was originally meant to serve a community of no more than 50,000 people and turned over to Riverside County before the City of Murrieta incorporated. For over 30 years, Community Services staff maintained the pool to the best of their ability but for a variety of reasons were not able to install new technologies that would keep the pool open beyond a short three-month summer season. And the challenges have only gotten worse over the last few years due to aging infrastructure.
This summer, the City had hoped to open for the short summer season once again, but were delayed due to problems with pool pumps and other equipment. After much, much cost analysis and coordination with the Riverside County Health Department, the City had to make the difficult decision to remain closed not only this summer season, but to close the pool in its entirety.
And now for the good news -- the City team has started the planning process for a complete redesign of the Cal Oaks Sports Park Pool! City staff have started work with RJM Design Group to begin the process of planning for a complete pool redesign and there will be plenty of upcoming opportunities for community input and discussion. Please be on the lookout for a project website and dates to provide input.
When the pool is finally constructed, staff envisions a beautiful facility with attractions for all ages, increased programming, and longer seasons, and the City can't wait to hear from residents what they would like to see in a community aquatic facility.