BAR HARBOR—The Glen Mary Pool, a longtime community fixture officially closed since 2022, is now slated for a comprehensive rebuild. The Bar Harbor Town Council unanimously dedicated an additional $350,000 to the project on October 20, bringing the town's total commitment to $1.1 million for the redesigned wading pool and new splash-pad.
The project, located at Glen Mary Park off Glen Mary Road and Waldron Road, now has a finalized design and a budget that has increased to an estimated $1,645,000, with an additional $105,000 allocated for contingencies. The pool, last upgraded in 2009, was rendered non-waterproof by 2022 due to multiple broken pipes beneath its surface, necessitating the current repairs.
Discussions surrounding the pool's fate, potential designs, and costs have been a regular topic at Town Council and Parks and Recreation meetings for the past four years. The town had previously committed up to $750,000 in capital funds in May. The Village Improvement Association (VIA) also committed $750,000, though $100,000 of that had already gone towards initial design work. The latest town funds, derived from higher-than-anticipated parking revenues, fulfill the town's $1.1 million matching commitment.
The new design, developed by LARK Studio in collaboration with Harold MacQuinn, Inc., G & G Electric, and Aquatic Development, Inc., includes an elliptical pool with handicap access and a splash pad, encircled by a sidewalk and a great lawn. Robert Krieg of LARK Studio presented the design, noting its similarity to a plan presented the previous year. The maximum depth of the new pool will be three feet, and there is a hope for a shaded canopy. Preexisting restrooms and the pool equipment room will continue to be utilized.
The new pool and splash pad area will be approximately 100 feet by 60 feet, a reduction in size from the original pool, which measured roughly 195 feet by 125 feet. This change means the new design will not accommodate winter uses like ice skating and hockey, which the previous pool had hosted. Krieg confirmed that hockey would instead continue to be played at the ballfields. Last year, the Witham Family Charitable Hotels funded an ice skating rink on one of the Park Street ball fields, assembled by volunteers.
Glen Mary Pool is often cited by locals as a neighborhood gathering place, an "in-town oasis" according to Marie Yarborough during a December 2022 Parks and Recreation meeting. It's a spot for children's first exposure to swimming and represents a shared local heritage. The pool's site originated from a natural spring, which also gave Spring Street its name, and was eventually fenced in to create a wading pool around 1983. Older residents recall a deeper pool in the 1960s and 70s, complete with a lifeguard and a fire pit for roasting.
Councilors expressed enthusiasm for the project. Councilor Randell Sprague, who grew up nearby, stated, "We’re adding a little bit more than we already discussed putting forward, but I think it’s money well spent. It’s for the community." The council also amended the motion to allow Town Manager James Smith to make value engineering adjustments without altering the core vision. Chair Maya Caines remarked, "I feel like this project has been a very long time coming. It’s exciting to see it make progress."
Councilor Steven Boucher raised concerns about the town's relationship with the Village Improvement Association regarding accountability, suggesting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for future clarity, an item to be followed up on. Public comment prior to the vote included Charles Sidman expressing concern about fund allocation without prior town meeting approval. Despite the funding and design progress, the town will also investigate parking solutions for the area.
