R.C. Icabone Pool Replacement
The R.C. Icabone pool closed in 2023 after providing decades of outdoor summer fun .
When the pool opened in 1966 it was expected to last 25 to 30 years. With year after year of dedicated work and maintenance, it operated for 56 years. Pool audits conducted by the Recreation District in 2018 and 2023 showed that the pool was at the end of its lifespan. Although Recreation District staff tried to open the pool in 2023, its multiple structural and mechanical issues could no longer be overcome, and the Recreation District Board made the difficult decision to close the facility.
In 2024, through a citizen led effort, the Recreation District and the City of Cañon City engaged in a feasibility study to replace the R.C. Icabone pool. The study was conducted by Councilman-Hunsaker (pool experts), OLC (an architecture firm) and Ballard*King (market analyzers) who worked with a pool committee whose members represented a broad spectrum of the community. Committee members included representatives from the Recreation District, the City of Cañon City, the Cañon City School District, Citizens for a Pool, the Golden Age Center and a former County Commissioner. The study process involved numerous stakeholder and public meetings, surveys, and a dedicated website (see here).
Through this effort and the collaboration of the following local government entities - the Recreation District, the City of Cañon City and the Cañon City School District, a year-round pool facility concept was developed for the site of the original Icabone Pool. The Colorado Sun recently published an article about the efforts to bring a pool back to our community, you can read the story here. The Cañon City Daily Record also published a story about the public meeting held on September 25th, you can read the story here.
On the November ballot, the Recreation District and the City asked the voters to consider three questions to construct a replacement for the Icabone pool and operate it. A concept of what this facility could look like can be seen below. The voters passed the two questions, 2A and 6B, to fund the capital construction of the pool. The voters rejected question 6A to fund the operations of the proposed facility. This means the voters have authorized the construction of a pool, but no funding to operate it. You may click on each individual question to see the voting results.
Is the pool project dead? No it is not. We are currently in discussions with the City of Cañon City on options moving forward. We will have additional updates in early 2025 as we update this section of our website.
Pool Concept Renderings
Boundary Map of the City of Cañon City (black line) and Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District (purple line)