BREC's $28M Brooks Park Indoor Pool Plan in Baton Rouge
BREC wants to build its first-ever indoor swimming pool, and it would go at a Baton Rouge park with a lot of history. Here's my quick breakdown in video, with the full details below.
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What happened: BREC asks the state for $22.4 million
According to WBRZ, BREC requested $22.4 million in state funding for a new recreation and aquatic center at Brooks Park in Old South Baton Rouge. BREC's financing plan adds $5.6 million from its own capital improvement funds, for a proposed investment of about $28 million.
The project would replace the park's outdated pool with BREC's first indoor swimming pool, so aquatic programs can keep going after summer ends. The state has not approved the funding yet, and WVLA reports that the schedule and final scope depend on funding and design.
What's in the plan
An indoor pool for swim lessons, public swimming, youth camps, competitive training and lifeguard certification, all year long
New multipurpose rooms for community programs, meetings, and media and technology education
Site improvements including drainage, utilities, parking and accessibility
The key numbers
State funding requested: $22.4 million
BREC's share: $5.6 million from capital improvement funds
Total proposed investment: about $28 million
Brooks Park pool opened: 1949
Donated to BREC: 1953
A park with real history
Brooks Park grew out of a community effort during segregation. WBRZ reports that Rev. Willie K. Brooks and the United Negro Recreation Association helped raise money for a pool where Black children and families could swim. The pool opened in 1949 along with the surrounding property and was donated to BREC in 1953.
WVLA reports that BREC is exploring options to preserve part of the existing pool house to recognize the park's Civil Rights-era history.
BREC Superintendent and CEO Brooks Williams told WBRZ, "BREC's history includes discrimination against the people it was supposed to serve. We need to own that. The families who built Brooks Park took responsibility for giving their children somewhere to swim and play. We have no business celebrating what they did while treating our own responsibility to this park as optional."
Why it matters for Baton Rouge
As a realtor, I pay attention to the parks and public spaces around our neighborhoods, because they're a big part of everyday life. A year-round indoor pool would give families and kids a place to learn to swim and stay active no matter the season, and lifeguard certification programs can open doors to summer jobs for young people.
Williams put it this way to WBRZ: "When we make an investment of this size, I expect it to improve life in the surrounding neighborhood. Good programs build strong communities."
What to watch next
Whether the state approves the $22.4 million request
Design plans for the new center, including what happens with the historic pool house
A construction timeline once funding is settled
I'll keep an eye on this one and share updates as they come.
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Every weekday I break down what's happening around Baton Rouge, Gonzales and the rest of the Capital Region, from parks and schools to new businesses and big developments. Comment the word "Report" on the video above, or reach out to me directly, and I'll add you to my weekly newsletter that dives deeper into stories just like this one.
I'm Brian Mackey with Pivot Realty, here in the trenches gathering the news in the Baton Rouge area so you're always in the loop. If you have questions about buying or selling a home in Baton Rouge or Ascension Parish, I'm always happy to help.
