New Community Pool Plan Takes Step Forward In Wallingford

WALLINGFORD, CT — The plan for a new Wallingford Community Pool Park took another step forward with the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission this week, according to the Meriden Record-Journal.

The plan recently received approval from the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, which granted its permit but nixed a proposed walking trail on the far east end of the property, the Record-Journal reports.

The proposed project, which carries an estimated $5.65 million price tag, includes an 8,000-square foot pool, a splash pad area, a 3,060-square foot bathhouse, a sand volleyball court, shade structures, a playground area, a picnic pavilion, an activity lawn, concrete sidewalks and a 116-parking space lot that allows for bus circulation and drop-off interior of the site.

The Town Council unanimously approved a projected $5.65 million design concept for the renovation of Community Pool, 739 North Main Street Extension, in September. The existing site, which is about 7.12 acres, includes a 43,000-square foot pool, a 3,125-square foot bathhouse, a filter plant, shade structures, a 98-parking space lot, and grassed areas.

The Parks and Recreation Department is scheduled to present changes made to the site plan to the Town Council next month and then send it out to bid before returning to the council again with the final dollar amount, according to the Record-Journal.

The improvements to the park, according to the site plan application, consist of:

• Demolition of the entire existing pool, pool deck, walkways, building, asphalt pavement, and subsurface storm drainage network.
• Stripping of existing pavement to base. Installation of new parking lot layout including 116-parking space, which expands the existing parking area and allows for bus circulation and drop-off interior of the site.
• Installation of new subsurface storm-water network with modular concrete underground storm-water detention system.
• Installation of new bathhouse, picnic pavilion and shade structures.
• Installation of new pool and pool deck, which has a substantially smaller footprint than the existing pool and deck.
• Installation of a splash pad area.
• Installation of new walks, an activity lawn, sand volleyball court and playscape.
• Planting of new landscaping.
• Improvements to the site lighting.
• Construction of a new (plus or minus) 5-foot gabion retaining wall along the southern edge of the property line with a swale at its base with underground piping to convey ground and surface water and under-drainage behind to capture groundwater.

Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2020 and be completed before the 2021 swim season. The pool is likely to be closed for next summer to allow for construction.

Read more from this week’s Planning and Zoning meeting at the Meriden Record-Journal here.