Los Angeles officials have revealed plans to renovate the historic Griffith Park pool, with an estimated budget of $40 million that includes gender-neutral locker rooms.
The project aims to build a competition pool, a nearby recreational pool, and a revamped pool house featuring “inclusive” changing facilities. According to reports, the completion date is anticipated to be around mid-2029.
However, the hefty price tag has sparked concern among some residents, particularly since initial plans mentioned a much lower cost of $28 million.
“Can a private company inform me about the actual expenses for refurbishing this pool, as compared to how much our tax dollars are potentially being wasted?” questioned Spencer Pratt, a Los Angeles mayoral hopeful, on social media.
Built in 1927, the Griffith Park Pool has been closed for operations since 2020 after shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans to refill it revealed it was completely empty.
“The pool is really being rebuilt from the ground up. It has significant leaks,” said Stephanie Kingsnorth from the architecture firm Perkins Eastman during a community meeting.
Perkins Eastman is collaborating with the city’s Department of Engineering on the design. Officials noted that the pool’s location near major freeways and the Los Angeles River added complexity and costs.
This expensive renovation has drawn criticism, with one frustrated Californian likening it to a “money laundering scheme.”
“Let’s not overlook issues like stranded trains or wild animal crossings. Under the current administration, we might see more delays until a thorough audit is conducted in California!” another remarked.
Others comically questioned whether the pool’s edges were made of gold.
Moreover, the inclusion of gender-neutral toilets distinguishes this proposal from previous ones, something which, according to Kingsnorth, emphasizes equity and inclusion.
