Mulberry Pool Replacement Funding Reserved, But Design Still Uncertain
Fort Collins has set aside between $12 million and $24 million from its 2050 tax revenues for replacing the aging Mulberry Pool facility, but city officials say the design and scope of that replacement remain undetermined as planning continues over the next decade.
The funding allocation emerged during an October 14 City Council work session focused on budget decisions for the Southeast Community Center project, where officials discussed how to balance capital commitments across multiple recreation priorities using revenues from the voter-approved 2050 quarter-cent sales tax.
The 2050 tax, approved by voters in 2023, dedicates 50 percent of projected annual revenues of $24 million to parks and recreation facility maintenance and replacement. City financial policy further divides those recreation dollars into an 80-20 split, with 80 percent supporting existing infrastructure maintenance and 20 percent available for new capital projects like pool construction.
Current Pool Nearing End of Service Life
Mulberry Pool, an indoor aquatic facility at 424 West Mulberry Street, opened in 1976 as part of the city's first quarter-cent capital sales tax program. The nearly 50-year-old facility underwent major renovations in 2008 and received a new HVAC system within the past five years, according to city recreation documents.
Despite those investments, the facility is approaching the end of its useful life, which typically ranges from 40 to 50 years for municipal indoor pools.
Leanne Williams, Fort Collins Director of Recreation, told council members the city's operations services team maintains the pool to exceptionally high standards and expressed confidence the facility can remain operational until approximately 2035.
"I have high confidence in that team's ability to keep this facility going until we decide that we have the funding available over the next decade to look at that future replacement," Williams said. "That team is really exceptional. We should be really proud of the work that they do behind the scenes that doesn't get noticed."
Replacement Cost Estimates Range Around $30 Million
Williams provided council members with preliminary cost estimates for a Mulberry Pool replacement, placing the figure "in the 30s" based on high-level scoping work completed to date.
Actual replacement costs for municipal indoor pools in Colorado cities comparable to Fort Collins typically range from $18 million to $45 million depending on design features, according to municipal facility studies. Basic indoor lap pools start around $18 million to $25 million for construction, while full-featured indoor leisure pools with water slides and play elements can exceed $45 million.
The city has not yet determined whether the Mulberry replacement would replicate the current indoor lap pool configuration or shift toward more recreational features like the leisure pool concepts discussed during Southeast Community Center planning.
"There's just more work to do in terms of what is needed to replace that in terms of what's there and what comes out of there, what gets added in," Williams told council members. "I would say it's not going to be a big community rec center."
Williams noted the city has heard substantial community feedback requesting more indoor leisure aquatics rather than traditional lap swimming, though no formal design decisions have been made.
Funding Options Depend on Southeast Center Choices
The amount of 2050 tax revenue preserved for the Mulberry replacement hinges on council decisions about the Southeast Community Center budget, which is scheduled for appropriation in November.
City staff presented council members with funding scenarios that would allocate either 14 percent or 17 percent of total 2050 recreation capital funds to the Southeast project, leaving between $12 million and $24 million available for future aquatics needs including Mulberry.
Under the higher preservation scenario, the city would commit $12 million from the 2050 tax plus an anticipated $10 million from a future quarter-cent capital tax renewal, providing approximately $22 million in identified funding toward the estimated $30 million replacement cost.
The lower preservation option would provide $24 million from 2050 revenues plus the same $10 million from future tax revenues, creating approximately $34 million in combined funding that would fully cover current cost projections.
City Manager Kelly DiMartino emphasized the difficulty of projecting needs a decade into the future but defended the city's approach to setting aside dedicated funding streams.
"There's so many unknowns," said Council Member Julie Pignataro, noting the challenge of balancing immediate community needs against long-term capital planning. "It just seems so intangible to me about what a replacement of Mulberry Pool might look like and what it might cost and how we might actually get there and what the funding sources are."
Planning Timeline Extends Through 2030s
City officials indicated planning and design work for the Mulberry replacement would unfold gradually over the coming years rather than beginning immediately.
Williams said the city anticipates looking seriously at the replacement project around 2035, giving officials roughly a decade to refine community input, complete design work, and finalize funding strategies.
Municipal pool replacement projects typically require one to three years for funding and design development, another one to two years for permitting and bidding, and 18 months to three years for construction depending on project scope and seasonal constraints.
The extended timeline allows the city to monitor how the new Southeast Community Center serves southern Fort Collins neighborhoods and identify what types of aquatic programming remain underserved when that facility opens in 2028.
Fort Collins currently operates three major aquatic facilities: Mulberry Pool serves central and western neighborhoods year-round, the Northside Aztlan Community Center includes an indoor pool, and City Park Pool provides outdoor seasonal swimming. The Southeast Community Center will add both indoor and outdoor pools when completed.
Council members expressed general support for the funding preservation approach during the October 14 work session, with multiple members indicating preference for the option that maximizes resources available for future aquatics investments while fulfilling partnership commitments on the Southeast project.
The Southeast Community Center budget discussion and final funding decisions are scheduled for City Council consideration in November.