Then and Now: Moores Park Pool through the years
LANSING — Some call it a bean, others an egg. A few describe it as a convoluted circle. No matter the preferred name, the 100-year-old Moores Park Pool has provided a refreshing reprieve for Lansing residents and it's due for upgrades.
Wesley Bintz, a former city structural engineer, constructed the oblong above-ground pool in 1922 and opened it a year later, launching a new career for himself in the aquatic industry. Bintz patented the design and replicated it for other cities and clients through his company Bintz Pool Co. and the south Lansing pool is believed to be one of his oldest.
The natatorium is named after J. Henry Moores, a real estate and lumber professional who helped start the city's parks. It sits atop a slope at 420 Moores River Dr., overlooking the Grand River and Lansing Board of Water and Light's iconic trio of smokestacks.
More: Then and Now: Lake Lansing Park through the years
Dale Schrader, co-chair of Friends of Moores Park Pool, said that when it was open, thousands would swim at the natatorium.
Today, the pool is empty. The city shut it down in 2019 due to structural concerns. Community action kept the pool from permanent closure and demolition, and with $6.2 million coming from the state budget in October, future generations will be able to cool off at one of the city's only outdoor pools.
How it's the same
Schrader said at night, the cement posts sticking out of the pool would illuminate to give swimmers a nighttime glow as they enjoyed the facilities. The posts still stand today with cracks along the base as Schrader believed they were gas-powered and would likely be converted to electricity.
He added the gas line just below the pool heated the water to make it comfortable for people to swim in as city employees monitored the water's safety at the pump.
Schrader marveled at the bleachers on Tuesday and said while he only swam at the natatorium once, parents often sat on the steps and had a great view of their children at play.
How it's different
Today, the 100-year-old pool sits empty. The site is expected to undergo major renovations as contractors upgrade it to modern-day code and safety regulations.
Schrader doesn't know all the details in the renovations. He said the Friends of Moores Park Pool is an advocacy group for the site but the city owns and operates it. While it sits empty, the group will plan several clean-ups to keep costs at bay.
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A group of about 50 volunteers raked leaves and gathered other debris on July 25 during a community clean-up. He estimated more than 100 lawn bags were filled. It's all prep work until the real construction happens at the pool, which Schrader said could happen anytime.
"People are like, 'What's next? How are you going to raise money for the operations?' and it's like 'Look, we just won the World Series and you're asking me about next season," Schrader said.
Fun fact
Locker rooms line the perimeter of the pool. Schrader equated the structure to a doughnut as the pool itself sits within, and people get changed underneath in the locker rooms.
He also pointed out that fieldstone steps, similar to the pool's exterior, were installed in 1927.
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Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at 517-267-1344 or knurse@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @KrystalRNurse.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Lansing's Moores Park Pool through the years
