Newell plans August demolition of closed pool as it pursues a lower-cost waterpark

Newell plans to demolish its long-closed municipal swimming pool and brick bathhouse in August 2026 as the city pursues a lower-cost beach-style waterpark for the former pool site.

The existing pool opened in 1956 and closed in 2023 because of safety issues. Residents have been without a public swimming facility since the closure, making the proposed project an effort to restore local water-based recreation in a different form.

A different kind of public pool

Rather than rebuild a conventional swimming pool, Newell is considering a synthetic-lined swim pond. The proposed design includes clear water, a sand beach, decorative rock, aeration and inflatables.

The concept would create a beach-style setting instead of a traditional rectangular pool. Mayor Justin Lyman has said the facility could attract visitors from outside Newell as well as serve local residents.

The city’s approach is driven in large part by the difference in projected cost. A conventional replacement was estimated at $3.8 million. The alternative waterpark has been estimated at about $500,000, or roughly one-eighth of the conventional replacement estimate.

Demolition and funding

Demolition of the pool and bathhouse was planned for August 2026. Magnussen Bros. Inc. of Newell reportedly submitted a bid of roughly $26,000 for the demolition work, according to Storm Lake Radio.

Fundraising had reached about half of the amount needed for the proposed waterpark. That leaves the project dependent on additional fundraising before construction can move ahead. The final project budget, full funding plan and construction contract had not been announced in the reports describing the proposal.

Demolishing the existing structures would clear the former pool site for the proposed replacement, but it would also mark the end of a facility that had served Newell since 1956. The planned waterpark would provide a lower-cost alternative to rebuilding the old pool, while offering a different recreational layout and set of features.

2027 timeline remains conditional

Construction could begin in spring 2027, with the waterpark projected to open in summer 2027. Those dates remain contingent on fundraising and required approvals. The city has not announced that the project is fully funded or guaranteed to open on that schedule.

For Newell, the next expected step is the planned August demolition. The longer-term outcome will depend on whether fundraising reaches the remaining need and whether the proposed swim-pond design receives the approvals required for construction.