Parks Officials Support $7.8 Million Buchner Pool Upgrade

WAUKESHA, WI — Citing mounting repair cost and outdated facilities, the Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry Board has recommended approval of a $7.8 million project to modernize Buchner Pool.

Officials say the current pool and building opened in 1968, and has been experiencing frequent repairs. Parts are extremely hard to find, and very expensive, and many parts no longer exist, so they must be custom made, or more components must be replaced to bring equipment up to date, city parks workers reported.

According to parks officials, over the next two years, anticipated maintenance costs will sharply increase in order to replace various pool mechanicals, filtration systems, restrooms, building doors and roof, building addition, water heaters
for the pools and building, electrical upgrades, building boiler system, painting of the pool, concrete work on the deck, and more.

Plans for the upgrade include:

• A 50-meter pool with a dive well.
• A shallow kiddie pool with zero-depth entry.
• A Flow/current channel feature enabling a variety of new aquatic activities such as exercise classes/swim lessons.
• A new bathhouse that can serve as a year-round community building.
• An enhanced deck space with multiple shade structures and seating options
• Indoor/outdoor concessions.
• A pool storage area that can also serve as a warming house for ice skating.

City officials said the plan does not include a waterpark-grade slide such as the one at Horeb Springs.