Yuma mayor addresses local pool closure
Moses Femino
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The future of Kennedy Pool in Yuma remains uncertain as residents continue to push city leaders for answer on when, or if, it will reopen.
The pool has been closed since 2020, when it initially shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, city officials say the closure was not solely due to the pandemic.
According to Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls, the shutdown also exposed significant infrastructure issues that made continued operation difficult.
“The pool had to be closed because the pipes were failing, the pumps were failing,” Mayor Nicholls said. “There was just too much infrastructure that needed repair, to be able to do it in an effective, cost effective and time effective amount of time.”
Years later, the closure is still a topic of concern for many in the community.
Residents have recently voiced frustrations during City Council meetings, urging leaders to prioritize reopening the pool and restore access to a public space many local families once relied on.
Nicholls says the city is taking a careful approach before making any decisions, emphasizing the importance of community input and responsible use of public funds.
“We need to make sure we are doing our due diligence to make sure that, that is what the majority of people want to do with the city funds,” he said. “Cause at the end of the day, the city’s funds are the people’s funds.”
City leaders say reopening the pool would require significant financial investment. Any path forward will depend on available funding and whether there is enough public support to move ahead.
For now, there is no clear timeline for when Kennedy Pool could reopen, leaving its future still up in the air.