On Thursday, as outdoor temperatures soared to 100 degrees, Dallas Park and Recreation Board members met to consider a staff recommendation to close some of Dallas’ aging community swimming pools due to budget constraints.
As reported by The Dallas Express, interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert has directed that each City of Dallas department cut its budget by 6% for the 2025 fiscal year, with the exception of the police and fire departments, which are facing 3% cuts.
At a previous public meeting of the board on July 25, a recommendation to close nine community pools was discussed. However, at the most recent briefing on August 1, staff changed their recommendation, saying it would be necessary to close only four pools.
However, according to board member Rudy Karimi, after some spirited discussion, the board was able to reach a consensus on a solution that would not involve closing any pools.
“The community pools that were under the original consideration will see a reduction in open days. They will go from five days open per week to three days open per week,” Karimi posted on his Facebook page.
However, he noted that the board’s guidance was not final.
“It still must go through city council. They can change everything if they want,” he said.
Karimi wrote in his post that the department could reduce some of the stipends paid to its partners — such as the Dallas Zoo, the Dallas Arboretum, and FC Dallas — to offset the cost of keeping the community pools open.
In addition, the board reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the City’s pools.
“Heightened priority was also placed on the development of the Aquatic Center Masterplan which will help drive us towards a sustainable and long-term plan for the success of our aquatics facilities,” Karimi wrote in his social media post.