CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department is making progress on renovations at the Swan Lake Sports Complex, using funding from insurance proceeds after the storm-caused destruction of the New Providence Indoor Pool.
In March 2023, a severe storm ripped up the inflatable dome used each year to convert the New Providence Pool into the city’s only indoor pool, open annually from October to May. While there was initial discussion of repairing or replacing it, the costs became too much.
“The cost to repair the dome at New Providence was going to be in excess of $1 million because the air handler was destroyed in the storm as well,” Parks and Rec Director Jennifer Letourneau told Clarksville Now.
The dome was always only temporary. Letourneau said it “is essentially a waterproof cover with a lifespan of five to seven years and is put up in the fall and taken down in the spring.” After some discussion, the committee decided several months ago it was best to not reopen the pool and use the money for a more long-term option. “It was decided that it would a better investment of city dollars to put our efforts towards constructing a permanent, year-round indoor aquatics center at the planned Hazelwood Recreation Complex,” Letourneau said.
“When the dome came down in 2023, they gave us the insurance money, but we had to use it on an existing ready project,” Letourneau said. They used the money for the renovations at Swan Lake.
The outdoor New Providence Pool itself will reopen as usual in May.
Improvements at Swan Lake
With the insurance money, the committee was able to make several improvements to the Swan Lake Sports Complex, such as adding new pickleball courts, redoing the infield, renovating the restrooms to make them ADA-accessible, replacing old dirt with new ballfield dirt, and installing new playground equipment that has wheelchair accessibility, Letourneau said at the April 8 Clarksville Parks and Recreation Committee meeting.
“We’ve been able to do a lot of good work over there with the insurance money, and if anyone knows how to spread it all, it’s this one right here,” Letourneau said, referring to Deputy Director of Operations Randy Kelly.
The renovations do not have a confirmed opening date, but there will be a grand reopening scheduled.
Chris Smith contributed to this report.
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