What began as wind damage to the Fernley Swimming Pool roof in February 2024 has grown into a major rehabilitation of an aging public facility, with hidden structural and mechanical problems revealing themselves one layer — and one system — at a time.
Construction began Feb. 17 with an initial completion deadline of May 31. The district expected to spend the following two weeks refilling the pool, heating the water and balancing chemicals before reopening around June 14, after school was out.
The original project became necessary after high winds tore metal panels from the building. Inspection revealed that the panels had been fastened directly to plywood without a water barrier. After decades of exposure, portions of the plywood had deteriorated badly enough that they also had to be replaced.
Once the roof and ceiling were opened, crews found additional conditions that could not have been identified beforehand.
Parts of the building did not match the original construction plans, including an entire insulated roof layer shown on the plans that was not actually present. Aging electrical, fire, security and other systems also required upgrades to meet current codes.
Production and delivery delays for replacement roof panels added more time.
By June 14, the roof was not yet complete and the pool could not reopen. The district next hoped for a Fourth of July opening, then the end of July and later the end of August. Each target was overtaken by additional work or another problem uncovered as the rehabilitation continued.
By late summer, the major roof and building work was nearing completion and the pool was partially refilled.
Restarting equipment that had been idle for months then revealed problems with the pumps and the manifold that directs water through the circulation system. The water level later had to be lowered about a foot while those repairs continued.
The project has now reached a critical testing stage.
Once the pool is completely refilled and the circulation system is placed under pressure, pipes or seals that have been without water for approximately seven months could reveal additional problems. The water must then be heated, chemicals balanced and the required health inspection completed before the pool can reopen.
Because several previous target dates had to be changed, the district is not announcing another projected opening date.
Trustees, staff, contractors and project specialists continue working toward reopening, but we will wait until the facility is operating safely and has received all required approvals before setting a date.
Pool staff are also preparing for reopening. Lifeguards have begun retraining and recertification so qualified staff will be ready when the facility is cleared for operation.
Fernley resident Vicki Leigh attended the district’s September board meeting to hear the update firsthand. In a public post afterward, she wrote that she arrived wondering whether the delays reflected indifference or incompetence, but left believing the district was capable and eager to reopen.
She compared the renovation to repairing an old car: sometimes fixing one problem reveals the next one.
“We have worked nonstop to make this happen,” I told those attending the meeting. “But we are not going to announce another date until the systems are working and the required inspections are complete.”
When the pool does reopen, the district plans to thank the community for its patience by offering free admission all day every Friday for the first two months. Fridays will also include Family Nights from 4 to 8 p.m.
The district will continue providing updates as testing and repairs proceed. The final stages may still uncover additional work, but each completed repair brings Fernley another step closer to having its pool back.
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