This story has been updated to correct the opening date for Hartke Pool.
EVANSVILLE − Hartke Pool, a staple of the Evansville summer swimming scene, will stay closed this summer amid “safety concerns,” city officials said Thursday.
The pool opened in 1959, according to Courier & Press archives, and was last renovated in 1989. It sits along the Lloyd Expressway near the former Roberts Stadium site.
Among issues cited by the city:
- Uneven surfaces on the pool deck, with parts of the deck settling or rising due to crushed pipes under the surface leaking water into the ground. These leaks, which also exist beneath the pool, create voids under the pavement that have the potential to collapse.
- Holes in the pool walls, through which groundwater seeps into the pool, causing contamination.
- Cracks in the pool deck, which can cause injuries to swimmers
- Slopes around the poolside drains that exceed required maximums which, coupled with the uneven surfaces from the deck, create a tripping hazard and an increased likelihood of foot injuries.