On Monday night a public hearing was held to address the University of Georgia’s plans to redevelop Legion Pool and Legion Field.
Several community members attended the hearing to address representatives of UGA. The vast majority of comments were in opposition to the demolition of the historic pool.
Executive Director of Historic Athens, Tommy Valentine, also attended the hearing and quoted from UGA’s historic preservation master plan of 2018.
“It says in this document produced by UGA, that UGA must maintain a defensible consistent and transparent process when considering changes to historic resources. And I quote, demolition should not proceed without a documented analysis of alternatives that meet state stewardship obligations.”
UGA’s plans to repurpose Legion Pool were announced in September of this year and construction is set to conclude in fall of 2026.
UGA has released information regarding the facility, stating the university is committed to replacing an aging, unsustainable facility with a green space that will benefit far more members of the campus community.
The pool has operated at a deficit for 24 consecutive years, losing $438,000 over the past five years. UGA says it would take $11.4 million to fully replace the facility, which is used by fewer than 2.5 percent of students.
