Community
Gridley Swimming Pool faces uncertain future as Butte County seeks funding for repairs
Gridley Swimming Pool may face closure without new repair funding. Butte County is asking residents to help shape renovation plans at November community meetings.
The Gridley Swimming Pool could face closure if Butte County cannot secure money for major repairs, and local residents are being asked to help decide what the aging public facility should look like in the years ahead.
Butte County officials are working on an application for state recreation funding that could support renovations to the Gridley Swimming Pool and the surrounding area. The county says the need is serious enough that, without outside funding, the Board of Supervisors may have to consider taking the pool out of service and closing it.
That possibility gives a series of November community meetings added importance for families and residents who want to see the swimming pool remain part of Gridley.
On October 13th, the Butte County Board of Supervisors authorized the county to apply for funding through California's Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program. The program helps communities improve or develop recreational spaces, including places where access to those facilities is limited.
The county has not announced a grant award. Any proposed renovation would still depend on receiving funding.
Four meetings to discuss the pool's future
The first two design sessions take place Monday, November 16th, from noon to 1 p.m. and again from 5 to 6 p.m.
Two more opportunities are scheduled Thursday, November 19th, from 10 to 11 a.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m.
Residents will be able to discuss the swimming pool and the surrounding space, including what they would like to see included in a potential improvement plan.
All of the meetings will be held at Butte Hall at the Butte County Fairgrounds, 199 East Hazel Street in Gridley.
Residents will get to review a proposed design
After the community meetings, the county plans to present a conceptual site plan for public review on Saturday, November 21st, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the same location.
That session will let residents see how their suggestions have been reflected in an early design and offer additional feedback before the county moves further through the grant application process.
For people who use the pool, the question is larger than a renovation. The outcome could influence whether future generations of Gridley families continue to have a community swimming facility nearby.
The county is encouraging residents to attend whichever session works best for their schedule. See the official Gridley Swimming Pool project information.