COLUMBIA, S.C. — Swimmers hoping to return to the Hopkins Park pool will have to wait a little longer. Originally scheduled to reopen this month, the pool's reopening has been delayed until early 2025.
The pool was closed in May 2023 due to safety concerns. In April of this year, the Richland County Recreation Commission announced that the pool would reopen after receiving a $385,000 Community Development Block Grant to renovate the park and pool.
Demolition, reconstruction, and plumbing work were expected to be completed by now, but unforeseen issues have caused delays.
“The project was delayed due to construction issues,” the Recreation Commission said in a statement to News 19. “Last month [August], construction restarted with a different contractor, and the estimated completion date has been moved to January 2025.”
When asked who the new contractor is, a spokesperson for the commission declined to share the information, citing legal reasons.
Despite the setback, the commission reassured the public that the delay will not affect the project’s funding. "We will be using 100 percent of the grant for the project," the spokesperson added.
Richland County Council District 10 Representative Cheryl English, who played a key role in securing the grant, did not respond to requests for comment on the delay.
Swimmers in the Hopkins Park community will now have to wait until next year to enjoy the renovated pool.