Amarillo Could Lose 2 Popular Summer Pools in 2026

Even with the weather being warmer than usual for this time of year in Amarillo, there's one thing we're not exactly thinking about right now, and that's swimming. Sure, the temps have been in the 60s and even 70s on some days, but not quite warm enough to be thinking about hopping in the pool.

Ok, MAYBE an indoor one, but definitely not an outdoor one. We have to wait until summer for that. However, come summertime in the 806, we may find ourselves with two fewer options to go cool off at, and that means other pools will be a lot busier.

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Two Amarillo Pools May Be Closing

There aren't a whole lot of options to do swimming in Amarillo, and typically, the pools are packed in the summertime, no matter where you go. The problem is, it appears we're going to have two fewer options to choose from when summertime rolls around in 2026.

Southeast and Southwest pools are showing major signs of deterioration, and the city feels it's best to stop doing the yearly repairs needed and just shut them down permanently. A vote was held by the Parks & Recreation board back in November, and they voted 8-1 to recommend closure of the pools.

What Happens If They Close Those Pools

The good news is they aren't just going to close them and move along with their business. Sure, 2026 will have fewer options to choose from, but with the recommendation to close the pools permanently came another proposal.

There are talks to explore building an entirely new aquatic center in the city to help replace the loss of those two pools. While we don't have a whole lot of details on what that could mean or what it would look like, at least they'll be looking to replace the lost pools.