Lloyd Pool — which hosted indoor swimming competitions in Evansville for nearly a half-century — is finally coming to the ground. But the future use of that spot in Igleheart Park on North First Avenue still is undetermined.
Opened in 1975 and later named for late Evansville Mayor Russell Lloyd Sr., the pool was outdated and in poor condition when it closed in 2021. Deaconess Aquatic Center was built as a replacement and opened at Garvin Park in October 2021.
Lloyd Pool’s demolition is funded by the same Department of Parks and Recreation bond that is also funding the city’s pickleball complex at Wesselman Park and anticipated park projects at the site where Roberts Stadium once stood.
“The demolition is almost complete,” says Deputy Mayor Steve Schaefer, who also serves as the city’s interim executive parks and recreation director. “Everything is almost knocked down, and they are removing all the debris. Mid-August is when they’ll have debris gone, and it will be seeded.”
As for next steps at the site? Stay tuned.
“We are trying to determine what are the potential options in that space,” Schaefer says. “Is it a splash pad, another park amenity? Right now, we’re starting to have those discussions and determine if we have funding available for a park there.”
Built for recreational and competitive swimming and training, Deaconess Aquatic Center in February hosted swimming and diving championships for the Great Lakes Valley Conference. On the horizon are the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference women’s tournament and the 2025-26 NCAA Division II championships.
