New Riordan Pool in Ottawa should be out for bid by August

The Ottawa City Council approved $5,175,000 in general obligation bonds to fund a new swimming pool on Tuesday and hopes to have the pool out to bid by August.

Construction will be able to begin after the project is bid.

Mayor Dan Aussem is concerned there will be material shortages delaying the project but he said he’s confident bids will come in around budget.

The new Riordan Pool is budgeted to cost about $4.5 million and will be paid for with money from the city’s recreational marijuana tax, which usually makes the city about $30,000 per month.

The original pool, which opened in 1966, will be demolished to begin construction. It would have needed more than $500,000 in repairs to open in time for 2022 and the council decided in January it made more sense to spend that money on a new pool rather than pay for repairs every single year. Ottawa officials made an agreement with Marseilles for Ottawa residents to utilize the Marseilles pool this summer, in exchange for Ottawa providing supervisors.

The plan is still to have the new pool open in time for the summer of 2023.