Menasha’s municipal swimming pool at Jefferson Park won’t open for the 2026 season and will be removed, ending 65 years of memories at the facility.
City officials had planned to operate the pool for one more season before it is replaced with a new $10 million to $15 million aquatic center. However, the pool needs $300,000 to $500,000 in repairs before it could reopen safely, which didn’t make financial sense for just one more summer.
“We wish this wasn’t how we had to say goodbye,” Parks and Recreation Director Megan Sackett said. “We had every intention of offering one more summer with this pool, but the facility had other plans.”
At its Oct. 20 meeting, the Common Council voted 7-0 to close the pool, as was recommended by staff and the Parks and Recreation Board.
“I’d like to try preserving the heartbeat of summer for every Menasha kid, but this pool has given us everything it can. I’ve seen it,” council member Chris Rand said. “A shoutout needs to go to our city staff that has kept this pool alive as long as it has.”
During the closure, Menasha residents will have several swimming options. The city has a reciprocity agreement with Appleton, so Menasha residents can use Appleton’s swimming pools at the resident rate. Neenah also operates a swimming pool at Rec Park. In addition, Menasha maintains a municipal beach at 1515 Brighton Beach Road where people can swim in Lake Winnebago.
The Menasha swimming pool opened in 1959. It was renovated in 1990 with the addition of a zero-depth entry and water slide. It was renovated again in 2019 with cosmetic improvements to the pool house locker rooms.
“Unfortunately, over time the facility has continued to deteriorate significantly,” Sackett told the council. “Increasing safety concerns for patrons and staff, including roof leaks, boiler malfunctions, electrical hazards and structural degradation, now threaten the pool’s ability to operate safely.”
The sudden closure, the city said in a news release, has been a long time in the making.
“Discussions about replacing the pool date back as far as 2008,” the release said. “Unfortunately, the project was repeatedly delayed, creating a domino effect that now requires immediate action.”
The closure of the pool will allow Menasha to get a jump start on demolition in preparation for a new aquatic center that will be built on the same site and is expected to open in 2027. A recommendation to hire a consultant for the design of the new facility will be considered in early November.
Funding for the new pool will come from municipal borrowing, grants and private donations.
“We understand this is a big change,” Mayor Austin Hammond said. “It will affect summer routines and community traditions, but we believe in doing the right thing now. With the recent momentum in support of the Jefferson Park improvements, we’re confident this new chapter will be embraced.”
In the coming months, residents will have opportunities to tell the design consultant what features and amenities they would like to see in the new facility.
“We know how special this pool has been to our community — it’s where many have learned to swim, spent hot summer days and made lifelong memories,” Sackett said. “While we’re sad to close this chapter, we’re also excited to write the next one — a modern, inclusive space that future generations will enjoy for decades to come.”
Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @DukeBehnke.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Menasha closes its swimming pool for 2026 to avoid costly repairs and prepare for new aquatic center
Reporting by Duke Behnke, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
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