By Jon Johnson
PIMA — The Town of Pima officially celebrated the completion of significant improvements to its beloved public swimming pool with a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday, May 23, drawing families for free pool access, a cannonball contest off the high dive, and food from Fizz and Franks.
The Graham County Chamber of Commerce-hosted event at 309 S. 100 East marked the latest chapter in the town’s ongoing investment in its nearly 40-year-old aquatic facility, transforming it into an even more inviting destination for residents seeking relief from the Arizona heat. Click here to view the Gila Herald’s Photo Album of the event.
Pima Town Manager Vernon Batty welcomed the crowd and highlighted the strategic value of the upgrades.
“Well, first off, just welcome everybody who’s here for our ribbon cutting. We’re so excited for this. This has been a while in the making,” Batty said. “Today we are celebrating… our renovation celebration.”
The most visible new feature is the resurfacing of the pool deck with Kool Deck®, a premium concrete topping known for staying significantly cooler than traditional concrete while providing a textured, non-skid surface.
Batty noted the immediate benefits: “This year, we were able to recoat the deck with a cool coating. Um, it’s supposed to be much cooler than the concrete, and that has proven true. They say no more running. There’s no excuse to run here anymore because the concrete is not going to burn your feet, that cool coat is doing the job . . . And it looks really nice and filled in a lot of our cracks and our slick spots.”
The $85,000 deck project was supported in part by a $64,000 grant from Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., reducing the burden on local taxpayers.
These deck improvements build on last year’s resurfacing of the pool interior itself, which was funded through a grant from Arizona State Parks and a match from the United Way. On hand for the ribbon-cutting on Saturday was former Thatcher Mayor Bob Rivera, representing the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties. Rivera commented on the facility and praised its enhancements.
“I wish we had something like this in Thatcher,” Rivera said.
Additional enhancements unveiled at the celebration include new permanent shade structures over the pool area, new roofs on the bathrooms, fresh picnic tables, and blue windscreens.
“The other thing we’ve done is these nice shades that I’m standing under right now,” Batty said. “Ward Brothers came and did these; they turned out great. Not just shades in the pool area, but we also put roofs over the bathrooms. Finally. So those aren’t just open anymore. And, we put these nice new picnic tables in, so people have a place to put their stuff and sit and be under the shade… The other thing we did is these nice blue screens, which uh help for privacy… also shades, but we’re really hoping it keeps the dust down.”
The town has also installed a 65-kilowatt solar panel system in partnership with Graham County Electric Cooperative, which provides both energy cost savings and shaded parking.
Batty emphasized the community pride surrounding the facility.
“It’s always been a pride here. We feel like we’ve got one of the best pools around. And so we’re happy to invest in it and make it better and do these renovations,” he said. “Please come on down. We’ve got a great staff that always just do such a great job keeping kids safe. So come on down, cool off, and keep those kids out of trouble.”
With the new Kool Deck surface, enhanced shading, and overall refreshed appearance, town officials hope the Pima Pool will continue serving as a vital gathering place for families throughout the summer and for years to come.
The Pima Pool is open for Open Swim Monday – Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m., with Night Swim on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 – 9 p.m. and Lap Swim Monday – Thursday from 6 – 7 a.m. and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5 – 5:50 p.m. The pool is also available for private parties. Contact Pima Town Hall at (928) 485-2611 to check for availability.
