Fate of Orchard Mesa Community Pool Unknown

One of the most exciting things in Grand Junction recently was the opening of the brand new Orchard Mesa Middle School.

Students at the newly built school moved in last week and the public is getting a chance to see the new facility at an open house Wednesday, January 15 beginning at 5:30.

But, what happens to the Orchard Mesa Pool? The pool has been a big part of Grand Junction Parks and Rec activities for years. Countless kids have learned to swim there and have been able to hone their swimming skills during the cold months of the offseason.

Since the construction of the new Orchard Mesa school, there have been questions about the future of the facility. The Orchard Mesa Pool has a three-way partnership between the city, county, and Mesa County Valley School District 51. I am told that no decisions have been made about the future of the facility, nor, at present, is there a time table for making a decision.

I don't know all the ins and outs of what will go into that decision, but I have to believe that decision would be a whole lot easier had voters approved the construction of a new community center in the municipal election last spring. As I understand it, the community center would have housed multiple pools and the funding project would have included the renovation of the Orchard Mesa Pool.

At this point, we'll just have to wait and see what the fate of Orchard Mesa Pool will be. Personally, I am most confident that our local leaders in government will make the best decision possible, though it's likely it won't make everybody happy regardless of the outcome.