Thanks to Mississippi Valley Montessori School for their support. Located in West St. Paul since 1967, they’re an AMI-accredited Montessori school serving children up to age 6. Email us for more info.
With attendance at the West St. Paul city pool up 30% last summer, there’s no question it’s popular. But it needs some work. The city is planning a two-year rehab plan that will keep the pool open.
When: Work is expected to start this winter and run through the spring, then finish up so the pool can open for the summer season. Then work will start up again in the fall, with the hopes of finishing before the summer 2027 season.
Will that work? “Our goal is to offer a full pool season, but with the way construction goes, we’ll have to play it by ear a bit,” said West St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Eric Weiss. “If anything, we may see impacts to the beginning of the pool season by a week or two.”
Upgrades: Don’t expect any major upgrades to the pool. This is a low-budget renovation to fix problems—like the slide that had to be closed last summer—and keep the pool open into the future. After community feedback and seeing the price tag, City Council rejected the idea of doing any pricey redesign. A lot of communities are losing their community pools, so the city is focused on keeping it going, not upgrading.
- Phase one is the smaller of the two projects. Work will include repairs to the pool surface, deck, and general drainage, as well as that out-of-commission slide. Phase one will focus on improvements that don’t require state review, so they can move forward more quickly. No word yet on when that work will begin.
- Phase two will update seating, fencing, shade, lighting, and cosmetic upgrades to the bathhouse, as well as utility and mechanical upgrades.
Cost: The project is expected to cost $2-3 million.
History: Originally built in 1956, the pool’s last major renovation was 1999.
April 10, 2026 Update: Rehab Options
At the March 23 City Council meeting, Council reviewed rehab options for the pool and declared April 1 to be April Pool’s Day in honor of the pool’s 70th anniversary.
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