Options for closed Shadowood pool range from repairs to full overhaul

Reston Association’s Board of Directors is contemplating three options for the future of Shadowood Recreation Area, an aging facility with a 20-meter pool that has been shuttered for more than two years.

RA’s Park and Recreation Advisory Committee formally recommended in January that RA reopen the pool after a major renovation effort. But in previous meetings, board members suggested refurbishments — far less extensive than those recommended by PRAC — were more appropriate.

The board has not yet taken a formal position on the issue, as talks about the project continue.

“PRAC has recently expressed an interest in seeing some additional improvements as part of the Shadowood Pool project which may differ from the Board’s original desire to refurbish the existing pool and complex,” RA spokesman Mike Leone said.

The recommendation was made after a community engagement period last year.

Staff have laid out three options for the site:

Option 1

The least extensive option, repairs costing roughly $300,000 to $500,000 would involve fixing the damaged and leaking roof, re-plastering the main pool, updating equipment to meet current codes, and other items flagged in a 2021 inspection report.

Staff noted that these items would allow the facility to reopen quickly — in about two to three months.

Option 2

RA could reconfigure the facility to include lap lanes, upgrade the security fence, provide natural gas heating, and improve accessibility.

This approach would require the approval of RA’s Design Review Board. That process alone could take up to six months in addition to the three to five months needed for implementation. The price tag is $750,000 to $1 million.

Option 3

A full-scale renovation would require site plan approvals from the DRB approval and Fairfax County.

The plan includes fully renovating the building, converting a wading pool into a splash pad, and reconfiguring the pool deck and perimeter fence. This redesign would cost between $1.5 to $2.5 million and largely mirror the previously approved renovation of Lake Thoreau Pool.

That project is expected to break ground in April. Permitting is underway, and the facility should be open in time for the 2023 swim season.

The board is expected to discuss the Shadowood issue at a meeting on Thursday (March 24) at 7 p.m.