Demolition is underway at Marshall’s former Aquatic Center, where the main pool opened in 1938. Work began around October 14, and city officials estimated it would take about two more weeks to complete.
City Administrator Sharon Hanson gave that timeline to the Marshall Independent. In its October 30 account, the newspaper reported that crews had cleared the pool deck and wading pool and had moved on to breaking up the main pool floor.
Preston Stensrud, who has overseen the site work, told the Independent that demolition had continued on most days and that rain had caused few delays. The main pool, in use since 1938, remained open through summer 2026, when the new facility took over. The former complex also had a bathhouse built in the 1970s and a water slide added in the 1990s.
Why the Old Pool Had to Go
The decision to replace the aging complex followed documented problems beyond its age. A 2018 assessment found deterioration, areas that did not meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and water loss of 12,000 to 15,000 gallons a day from the old pools, according to the City of Marshall.
What City Reviews Found
A July 2019 study prepared for the city by 292 Design Group and Re-engineered, Inc., concluded that every component needed extensive improvement, repair or modification to make the center safe, accessible and efficient to operate, according to the City of Marshall’s July 2019 Marshall Aquatics Center Study.
The demolition plan calls for removing the pool basins and manholes, then filling the pools to grade, Public Works Director Jason Anderson told the Independent. The parks department plans to add topsoil, level the area and seed it with grass, the newspaper reported.
The city's new facility, called The Splash!, is located near Saratoga Street and West College Drive and is now finished, replacing the aging pool the city relied on for decades. The City of Marshall had targeted the new facility for completion in summer 2026.
What Happens to the Old Bathhouse
The former bathhouse is expected to remain, with storage among the possible uses, Stensrud told the Independent. Gas lines serving the old pool systems have been removed from the building; equipment in the mechanical room may be demolished over the winter, according to the newspaper.
The city has not settled on a long-term use for the remaining grounds. In a 2023 public survey, residents identified a playground, outdoor game space, fitness equipment and pickleball courts as preferred features.
A Park Concept Without a Budget
Stockwell Engineers has presented a park concept that includes play structures, a shelter, pickleball courts and beanbag-game space. The concept has not been approved or funded by the city council, and Stensrud said no funding source is set aside for those features.
Marshall Radio reported separately that playground equipment and a small shelter are expected to be installed near the new Splash Aquatic Center itself, a project tied to the broader aquatic-center effort rather than the old site. The aquatic-center construction contracts had about $14.87 million in accepted bids.
The demolition contract is a smaller piece of that overall project. The city council awarded Rogge Excavating of Ghent a $150,000 bid for the demolition work after four bids came in, with three of the four landing below the city's $300,000 budget placeholder, the Independent reported in June. The estimated total project cost, including contingency, engineering and administrative expenses, came to $182,700.
Hanson said the former Aquatic Center site will be discussed at a council work session on November 10, giving residents another chance to weigh in before any decisions are made about its future.
