Los Padillas Aquatic Center closed for pool upgrades, expected to open late summer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Summer is right around the corner, and we know once that heat kicks in, families look for any activity to keep them cool.

Bernalillo County will be opening their pools this Memorial Day weekend, with the exception of the Los Padillas Aquatic Center.

“This pool was originally built in 2004, and right now we are doing some upgrades that have been ongoing, but essentially when we are done with everything this year it is going to be a brand-new swimming pool,” said Ashlee Bentz, the Bernalillo County Recreation Program Manager.

The county is adding underwater lights, new pumps, repairing some leaks and re-plastering the pool.

“We took all of the plaster out, there had been several layers we are taking all of that out, we are replacing a leak that was in the ground, like under the ground, and then we are going to put brand-new plaster back in,” said Bentz.

The upgrades will allow them to maintain the pool better and make sure the water is as safe as possible for the community.

“With the plaster, that is something that your hands and feet are touching, and it can be really abrasive. The chemicals in the water just erodes it so that’s why we have to redo this every couple of years and the pump is part of the filtration system and so are all the feeders,” she said.

The $350,000 upgrade is coming out of their general fund. They plan to have the pool open at the end of June, but their target date is July 4, 2025.