Fort Lauderdale’s famed Aquatic Center sat closed for nearly four years during an ambitious $47 million renovation.
The center, a Fort Lauderdale landmark located south of Las Olas at 501 Seabreeze Blvd., reopened to great fanfare in September 2022.
But on Sunday, swimmers were turned away to allow the original contractor to work on resurfacing what some say was a slippery deck.
“The pools will be intermittently closed during the work, which will be completed by Sunday,” said Ashley Doussard, a spokeswoman for the city. “There will be intermittent closures to different areas depending on where the crews are working throughout the week.”
An official with Hensel Phelps, the contractor hired to handle the renovation, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Debbie Rosenbaum, a longtime resident who’s been swimming laps at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center for years, says she looks forward to seeing the original deck replaced.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” she said. “It was very slippery.”
Doussard made no mention of the deck being slippery.
“There was a sealant applied to the concrete to protect it from water intrusion and environmental factors,” she said by email. “The product initially used isn’t living up to the expectations of the city, so the company is applying a better product.”
Because the deck was still under warranty, the work won’t cost taxpayers a dime, Doussard said.
Rosenbaum said she doesn’t mind the pool closures if it means a better, safer deck.
“They’re working around our practice schedules,” she said. “We’re getting a new deck, so live with it. It’s going to be gorgeous. And it’s slip resistant. We’re real excited.”
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan