Speaking on behalf of the Friends of the Pool and Park Foundation, Heather DePriest, Foundation President, reported that work on the Chinook City Pool will begin on August 1. Not only will the pool close for the season on that day, but the public should be aware that equipment will be staged in the area throughout the fall for as long as weather permits and Phase A of the project continues.
In order for the work to commence, the City approved a bid submitted by Corland Construction, a company based in Sidney, Montana. “Corland came in with the best price, and they have experience with pool projects, so we’re glad they received the project bid,” DePriest stated.
DePriest added: “Since 2020 when our organization was founded, we have been working so hard to get to this point, and we’re not only excited but grateful that the Chinook City Pool will receive some much needed attention.”
Corland crews will repair the concrete cracking and rehabilitate the main pool body by inserting a new liner. Additionally, they will repair and replace pool piping, redo the gutter system, and update the decking.
According to DePriest, the main body of the pool will not be removed because the concrete cracking has been caught in time, potentially saving the community two million dollars, based on one engineer’s figures. “Our pool was built the exact same year as Glasgow’s, and their pool has degraded to the point that it is unrepairable, from my understanding; whereas, Chinook’s is salvageable. The City has maintained our pool well, but we needed to head off the damage before it became a major issue. We are grateful that the degradation issue is no bigger than it is, that we caught it in enough time to prevent more concrete cracking, which would have meant a greater expenditure of funds,” DePriest expressed.
Reports suggest that Phase A is expected to be completed by June 1, 2026, in time for the pool to reopen for the summer. Dependent on budgeting and whether a grant award comes through, DePriest predicts that Phase B of the Pool and Park Rehabilitation Project will begin in the fall of 2026.
“It is because of major donations, the passing of the Recreation District Bond, and generous people sharing their hard earned money that we are able to do any of this,” DePriest commented. “We are so grateful to the community who has come together to prevent the loss of our pool. It is such a humbling experience to be a part of this work. We have an incredible Board of driven people, and we are so happy to get this project moving as we continue to work to save the Chinook Pool and rehabilitate Sweet Memorial Park. We will continue as long as funds are available and until all phases are complete,” she concluded.
Anyone seeking additional information about the Foundation or interested in donating to its projects is encouraged to visit the Friends of the Pool and Park Foundation website, chinookfriends.org.