Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool — Attraction in Oak Ridge

Ok, I'll start here.. lived here & within 8-15 miles of city limits for past maybe 45 yrs. Used to go to pool almost daily to hang out with others & stay out of trouble during summer months back in the 1980s. Never had issues much w/staff shortages or closing early for any reason. When it would start raining but there wasn't any thunder or lightening they would ask everyone to get out of pool to wait & see if the rain would stop. They only closed it if they heard or saw thunder &/or lightening, Otherwise, we'd wait it out or make our own decisions whether we left early or not. A lot of times it would rain a short time, then stop & clouds would start moving on & we'd get the ok that we could get back in water for remainder of time pool was open. Used to have a great concessions area too serving hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, snow cones, popcorn, chips, sodas, even pizza I think, if u needed ice cold water they'd usually give it for free, especially if u had any signs of heat exhaustion or even looked like u needed it for that matter. Now... they don't even stay open very long for the summer, their hours don't even allow enough time for those who wana swim laps & those who just wana bring their kids out to stay cooled off for the hottest part of the summer days. It's not fair to the people who've lived here almost all their lives & those who have moved here & hope to be a part of our city & it's history. Cost is way higher & I'm sure it'll climb more before end of July 2024 or maybe next yr. Ik there's an issue regarding the H2O leak somewhere & they ALWAYS seem to have staffing issues but the outdoor pool is part of our city's history & provides so much to kids, families, & even lap swimmers that it would be a horrible part of the City of Oak Ridge's history to get rid of or just give up on. The people who run this city have accepted all the empty buildings/lots staying empty & not bringing in any revenue as well as they allow so many other things that waste money to keep happening in this city so they can find a way that doesn't hurt the people of this town to keep our outdoor pool open & not for the low hours that it's open for now. Bring...

A very neat piece of Oak Ridge history. Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was established during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret U.S. government program to develop atomic weapons. It was officially founded in 1942. At its peak during the war, Oak Ridge's population swelled to around 75,000 people. This remarkable growth was driven by the need for a large workforce to support the development of atomic weapons, particularly the uranium enrichment process taking place at the Oak Ridge facilities. The city was shrouded in secrecy during its early years, with its existence not widely known to the public. It played a critical role in the development of the atomic bomb, including the uranium enrichment work carried out at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There were restaurants, stores, food halls, and recreational structures built to support the city. This pool was one of those structures. This is a historic pool. It was originally constructed in 1944 by the Corps of Engineers and underwent major renovation in 1992-1993. It was reopened in the summer of 1994. The pool is spring water-fed and considered one of the largest in the nation with depths ranging from zero to 13-1/2 feet. It is located between Providence Road and Highland Avenue. It was not open when I stopped by but there is a plaque that describes it’s history. It is a massive pool and easy to see from the parking lot. Their website states that it, “...is in need of major repairs as it is leaking large amounts of water each day and does not meet current code requirements. The City has selected a consulting firm to facilitate a planning process and gather data on existing conditions as well as collect community input to determine next steps...

Ever since I laid eyes on this gigantic, beautiful pool, I have loved it! The atmosphere is always inviting, prices for food, floats, entry, etc. are wonderful. It’s by far always been our favorite pool to swim at during the summertime. We live in Knoxville and drive 45 minutes to get there because we love it so much. Sadly, I must admit, that it has started to become a little disappointing over the last few years. They removed both the low and high diving boards and the basketball goal wasn’t even hanging the last time we went. Those aren’t everything but they truly added a lot of fun to our time there. Please, PLEASE whoever is in charge, we heard a rumor from a lifeguard that the boards were taken out for a slide, but whether it’s the slide or putting the boards back in, please put something like that back in. I miss coming...