Pine Bluff shifts Aquatic Center oversight to Parks and Recreation

The Pine Bluff City Council unanimously approved a structural change for the Carl A. Redus Jr. Aquatic Center on July 7, returning the facility to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department after its June closure and internal review.

The vote ended the standalone-department structure created for the center in 2024. It changes the city department responsible for oversight, administration and management, but it does not by itself confirm that the facility has reopened or that every planned safety improvement is complete.

What the council changed

The repealing ordinance removed the Aquatic Center from the list of independent city departments and returned its oversight, administration and management to Parks and Recreation. The Pine Bluff Commercial reported that the ordinance passed unanimously, with Ward 4 Councilman Steven Mays absent.

The ordinance’s stated rationale was that the city no longer considered a separate Aquatic Center department to be in its best interest and that recreational facilities could be managed more efficiently and economically under a single Parks and Recreation Department.

In practical terms, questions about staffing, maintenance planning, operating procedures and accountability will now be handled within the Parks and Recreation structure. The effect on day-to-day operations will depend on how the city carries out the change through staffing, budgeting and departmental responsibilities.

Mayor estimates about $70,000 in annual savings

Mayor Vivian Flowers told the council that the restructuring could save the city approximately $70,000 per year. That figure is a reported estimate, not a confirmed budget reduction documented in the sources reviewed for this article.

Flowers said the primary goal was to give the center more administrative support and capacity. She cited maintenance planning and assistance with administrative duties so facility leadership and staff could focus more closely on pool operations, safety programs, cleanliness and upkeep.

Safety measures discussed after the closure

City officials also discussed additional security and facility-safety measures following the June 10 incident and the city’s review of facility operations. Flowers mentioned bringing in a security group and using metal detectors, exterior lights and cameras, a panic button and security guards.

Those comments describe planned or intended improvements. The available records do not confirm that all of the measures have been installed or fully implemented, so residents should look for a later city update before assuming the work is complete.

Reopening and implementation remain open questions

The city’s Aquatic Center webpage still displays a temporary-closure notice and an anticipated reopening date of June 23, 2026. Because that date has passed and the page does not provide a current confirmation that the center is operating, it should not be treated as proof of the facility’s present status.

Residents still need separate updates on the center’s actual operating status, staffing, maintenance plan, security installations and visitor procedures. The July 7 vote establishes a new management structure; the practical test will be whether the city uses it to provide clearer accountability, safer operations and a reliable path back to service.

Sources

• Pine Bluff Commercial report on the July 7 council action
• City of Pine Bluff July 7 council packet
• City of Pine Bluff extended closure notice