Savannah pool to undergo renovations, with possible Memorial Day opening

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- An initial plan would close the Savannah pool for the 2026 season, now the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative said there are hopes for the pool to be open by Memorial Day, after renovations.

At the time, the Board emphasized that maintaining aquatics access in Andrew County would require renewed community involvement and additional resources if it is to remain a shared priority.  

President of the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative, Dianne Gould, said the original goal of the project was to build an entirely new pool facility that would replace the old one.

“Initially, that was what our goal was, and as we went along, we came to understand that the price tag of the new facility would be in excess of five million, and if we spent that money, we will end up with a facility that’s similar to what we have now,” Gould said.  

As the project gained attention, Gould said many local professionals reached out to help by analyzing the current pool.  

She said the pool’s structure is fairly simple but very well built, with a solid foundation and minimal design complexity.  

Gould said the board realized they already have a strong facility, but it just needs significant care and renovation to serve the community for many years.  

“So we went from thinking that we were going to build a new facility for six or seven million dollars to now thinking that we will be able to do a major renovation on what we have now for under a million dollars,” Gould added.   

Gould said the facility is currently undergoing testing to make sure it’s leak-tight. Once those tests are complete, the project can officially move forward and renovation work can begin.  

At one point, she said the group considered the possibility of going several years without a pool. However, the community quickly rallied behind the effort, with more than 500 people donating to the cause. 

“Everyone knows the pool is the heart of our town, and now that we have pivoted, we think we can actually not have any disruption in the summer. The professionals that are coming together to collaborate on the project believe that we can open this memorial day,” Gould said.  

She said the goal is to renovate and reopen the facility as soon as possible, especially since outdoor aquatic centers are limited and resources like this are hard to come by in the area. 

Gould emphasized how important the pool is for local kids.  

“That pool provides a lot more than what you see driving by. It's a community, it's a place we kind of pick up where school leaves off because school closes its doors and we open ours and that’s where a large number of our kids spend every day of their summer,” Gould said.  

As part of their continued fundraising efforts, Gould said the organization is planning a trivia night on March 21 at the Clasbey Community Center. The date also marks their goal of securing all the necessary funding.