The Griffith Park Pool, built in 1927 and once the largest in Los Angeles, has been closed since 2020. The city will not reopen it but instead spend $28 million to replace it with two new pools and a splash pad by January 2028 according to Los Angeles Times.
Plans include demolishing the old pool, building a 25-yard by 50-meter competition pool, a 25-yard by 25-meter training pool, and reconstructing the two-story Spanish-style pool house. Construction is set to begin in summer 2026. The Bureau of Engineering has not yet chosen a builder.
Cracks found in the pool’s foundation before its planned June 2022 reopening made repairs impossible. Recreation and Parks spokeswoman Rose Watson said, “Every time they would fill it up, it wouldn’t retain the water.”
The new pools will have electric heaters and UV water treatment for year-round use. The original Municipal Plunge measured 225 by 48 feet and held up to 562 people. It closed in March 2020 during the pandemic. The site is in Council District 4, represented by Nithya Raman.
On May 21, the Board of Public Works approved $2.4 million for design work by Perkins Eastman. The city operates 57 pools and eight splash pads, with eight pools currently closed. Nearby pools include Echo Park, Hollywood, and Glassell Park.
