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One of the final steps has been taken to bring a pool back to the Griggs Center. And, the new pool is even expected to be ready for next summer.

On Tuesday, the Troup County Board of Commissioners approved a bid from River City Contracting to construct the new Don Weatherington Aquatics Center at the William Griggs Center.

River City submitted the low bid in the amount of $3,540,250. Four bids were submitted for the project ranging upwards of $3.9 million but only three were accepted. Aquatic Const., LLC. submitted a bid for just the pool, which didn’t include the pool pavilion, so it was deemed non-responsive.

The contract that was accepted includes five optional add-ons, including increasing the filter pump rate of the pool to a four-hour turnover, adding a “mushroom” fountain splash pad, adding a spiral slide, adding a decorative fin wall similar to the one on the main Griggs building and including a seven-foot-tall decorative aluminum black metal fence to surround the center.

The pool itself will be an approximate 5,000-square-foot, zero-entry pool, which basically means no stairs will be used. The pool will include features for multiple uses for both recreation and swimming education. The shallow areas will be perfect for teaching kids to swim, while the deeper areas offer more recreational swimming and lanes for exercise.  The included slide is sure to be a hit with kids as well.

The aquatic center will also have a covered pavilion, bathrooms, showers, a concession area, shade umbrellas and portable lifeguard stands. As is now the standard safety code, the pool will also be lighted from within. A sidewalk will also be added to connect the aquatics center to the current playground and tennis courts in the rear of the facility. 

Construction on the pool is expected to begin soon, as the grading work has been completed. Depending on weather conditions, the county expects the pool to be ready for a grand opening in summer 2024.

The county was able to fund the pool using grants from the Callaway Foundation, the Governor’s Office and contributions from the City of LaGrange, including $300,000 in last-minute funds to help pay for unexpected cost overruns with grading due to more “bad dirt” being found that was initially expected.

The LaGrange City Council voted 5-1 on Tuesday to provide the funding, with only Council Member Nathan Gaskin voting against the measure.