The Recreation District Community Pool Project is still being evaluated!

In November of 2024 the community approved capital construction for an indoor and an outdoor pool at the former Icabone Pool site.  While operational funding through a mill levy increase was not approved, the community’s support for authorizing new debt indicated interest in moving the pool project forward.  In November of 2025, the Recreation District and City of Cañon City put forth an Excise Tax question to pay for operational funding.  This was voted down by 9.32%.   These results mean the District is able to build a pool, but not operate it.  

The sales tax to construct the pool continues to be collected, but pool construction will not begin until operational funding is confirmed.  Currently the City of Cañon City has formed a Pool Committee to see if there are funds available within existing budgets to pay for operations.  That effort is ongoing and no decisions have been made. 

Community Pool Timeline

• May 2023: R.C. Icabone Pool closes after 56 years
• 2024: Feasibility Study Completed by OLC Architects for Replacement Pool
• 2024: Public input & stakeholders develop new, preliminary pool program
• November 2024: 2A & 6B for Capital Construction Pass, 6A for Operations Failed
• February 2025: Wember approved as the Owner's Representative for the pool project
• May 2025: Barker Rinker Seacat approved as the architect of the pool 
• June 2025: GH Phipps approved as the Construction Manager at Risk
• November 4, 2025: Excise Tax for pool operations failed 
• February 2026: City of Cañon City forms a Pool Committee to explore pool operational funding

Below is an example of what the pool site would have looked like as of October 7, 2025.  This will most likely change because construction did not begin in 2026 due to the lack of operational funding following the election.

The image below is a base pool program, which is what the budget will allow us to complete using conservatively high figures for pricing and does include a contingency fund.  There are no alternates in this plan.  We are showing just the base program.

The image below shows the pool program plan as of October 7, 2025 with alternates.  Please know the base program includes the indoor lap pool and the leisure outdoor pool.  If funding allows we hope to include a program pool (smaller indoor pool on the northeast corner of the building) and an outdoor slide.  Those are shown with a red outline and not a part of the base plan.  They are alternates and only available if funding allows.  Alternates are used as additional funding becomes available through the preconstruction process and potential grants or donations.