CITY PROVIDES UPDATE ON CATO PARK POOL

(Charleston, W. Va.) – The City of Charleston Parks and Recreation Department has made the difficult decision not to open Cato Park Pool for the 2026 summer season. Community members are encouraged to utilize the City’s other public pool facilities, including the Martin Luther King, Jr Community Center pool and North Charleston Community Center pool, both of which are currently open. The Kanawha City Community Center pool is expected to open later this week. 

Cato Park Pool has experienced ongoing operational challenges for a number of years. In recent seasons, Parks and Recreation staff have worked diligently to address recurring issues involving the pool's filtration and chlorination systems, algae buildup, leaks within the chlorination system, and other operational concerns. Despite these efforts, the facility continues to require significant repairs and infrastructure improvements.

In addition to these operational challenges, the City has identified concerns that warrant further evaluation and assessment of the facility. Last year, the City hired Counsilman-Hunsaker to do an assessment on all City-owned swimming pools. That assessment showed significant issues with Cato Park Pool, including pool wall stability, decking concrete issues and an outdated chemical and filtration system.  

Recognizing the importance of Cato Park Pool to the surrounding community, the City has actively pursued grant opportunities and other funding sources to help address these needs. The City applied for a grant to fix Cato pool in February 2026 but was unsuccessful. We then began looking at whether it was possible to make the pool safe enough for swimming this season and it is not feasible at this time. There is a larger grant the City is pursuing to fix all swimming pools in Charleston, which we will apply for later this year.

Based on the condition of the pool and the extent of repairs needed, opening the facility this summer would not be in the best interest of public safety or long-term operations.

While Cato Park Pool will remain closed this season, residents are encouraged to utilize the City's other public pool facilities. Information regarding pool locations, hours, transportation options, and current pool status can be found through Charleston Parks & Recreation (https://www.charlestonwv.gov/government/city-departments/parks-recreation).

The City remains committed to identifying a path forward for Cato Park Pool and will continue to share updates as additional information becomes available.