Mentor’s long-planned Civic Center Pool renovation has hit a wall, with design problems forcing a work stoppage and pushing the reopening well past this summer. City officials say errors in the waterslide plans, along with the fixes needed to correct them, have added hundreds of thousands of dollars to the project and will keep the pool closed through the 2026 season. Parents, swim teams and taxpayers are now waiting for a clearer timeline and an explanation of who will cover the extra cost.
At a July council meeting, members approved roughly $218,000 in additional funding tied to the waterslide, pushing that portion of the job to about $2.74 million as part of the city’s roughly $10 million Civic Center overhaul. As reported by Cleveland.com, the waterslide contract had already grown once and could ultimately run about $635,000 above the original plan, and the city previously approved a separate $280,000 change order to enlarge the slide building and improve its exterior.
Pool closed for 2026; city now plans 2027 reopening
The City of Mentor has confirmed the Civic Center Pool complex will be closed for the entire 2026 swim season and now expects the rebuilt pool and Garfield splash pad to open in 2027. According to the City of Mentor, officials cited "unforeseen construction circumstances and poor weather conditions" and urged residents to use Morton Park and other nearby facilities while work continues. Hoodline previously previewed the broader project and the planned waterslide as part of the city’s Civic Center Park upgrades, those major upgrades at Civic Center Park laid out the original scope.
Design omissions halted work
City staff says crews discovered that the engineering drawings had omitted buried gas, water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer lines, which forced construction to stop while civil plans were rewritten and reviewed. Per Cleveland.com, Zerbe Construction told council it incurred about $108,800 in supervisory costs and roughly $137,000 in charges while the project sat idle, and council voted not to pay roughly $137,000 tied to delay claims. Council members voiced frustration: Ward 2 Councilman Matthew Donovan said he shared concerns about additional spending but did not want to risk further delay, while Council President Sean Blake questioned reimbursing the contractor. Law Director Brandon Dynes said the city intends to seek reimbursement from the firm responsible for the design errors once damages are determined.
What comes next
City staff say the next steps are finishing revised civil plans, clearing inspections and then resuming construction, with officials insisting the work will be paced by safety and code compliance rather than a rushed timetable. Administrators are evaluating contractual remedies, insurance or warranty options, and the potential for legal claims to recoup costs, the city has identified the engineering firm whose omissions are at issue and will quantify damages before filing any claims. In the meantime, residents will rely on Morton Park and other city pools while Mentor works through the design fixes and the financial fallout.
