Dallas City officials are making tough decisions to overcome a $38 million shortfall in its finances, and most of Dallas’ community pools may close due to budget cuts this year.
The city’s Park Board met Thursday for a special called meeting to discuss suggested cuts worth $2.6 million that could close all nine of the city’s public pools and reduce the city’s contribution to public-private partnerships, including the Dallas Zoo, by 3%.
The nine public pools include Bonnie View, Everglade, Glendale, Grauwyler, Jaycee Zaragoza, Martin Weiss, Pleasant Oaks, Tommie Allen and Walnut Hill.
Park Director John Jenkins told The Dallas Morning News that existing pools were built in the 1960s, and some are even older.
“We can’t salvage any more parts because we don’t have any more parts to salvage to keep running,” Jenkins said.
None of these recommendations are final, and the board will meet again on Aug. 1.
Two new pools will get bond dollars — a new pool to replace the current Jaycee Zaragoza pool in West Dallas and a new pool at Singing Hills in southern Dallas. The status for the rest of the community pools remains unclear.
