Gaukler Family Wellness Center Indoor Pool to Close For Maintenance

Posted By: Steve Urness
March 16, 2026 @ 4:44 pm
News

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Gaukler Family Wellness Center indoor pool will be temporarily closed from March 23 through April 5 for scheduled annual maintenance.

This announcement comes three weeks after a former employee raised concerns to the park board about negligent pool maintenance procedures followed by reports from a few patrons who told him they had skin health issues after they were in the pool. He submitted a letter to the board to have a health inspector test and review previous records concerning possible pool contaminants and dangerous pH levels. The board received and reviewed the letter at their regular board meeting on March 11th and also received this response (listed below) from the local health inspector.

Marcie Bata, Director of Environmental Health with Central Valley Health District conducted an investigation and gave this response. She said water quality in aquatic facilities is dynamic, pH and disinfectant levels must be tested prior to opening and at least every four hours while the facility is in operation to ensure they remain within the operational ranges established under aquatic requirements adopted by Central Valley Health District (CVHD). Facilities are required to maintain records of their water quality testing results. She said those records are available at this facility for the public to review. Bata said CVHD conducted three inspections at the facility in January 2026 (January 16, 20, and 26.) During each inspection, CVHD staff tested pH and disinfectant levels. On January 26, the hot tub pH was found to be outside the required operational range. The facility was instructed to close the hot tub (which they did) and take corrective action to bring the pH back into range. The hot tub was reopened once levels were verified to be within the acceptable range.

The letter from former employee to the board said he was also concerned that the December 2025 pool test readings were more of a concern compared to the January 2026 readings, so the park district provided those readings in the attachment below to i3G Media.

pool-testing-dec-2025

Valley City Parks and Recreation Executive Director Tyler Jacobson said once the two-week pool maintenance is complete, the pool will reopen on Monday, April 6^th.

Jacobson added, with a natural lull in pool activities during this time of year, including the conclusion of Sharks swim practices and before swimming lessons, staff identified this window as the ideal opportunity to complete the work with minimal disruption to programs as the pool and hot tub will be drained. While the annual maintenance period is part of the facility’s normal operations, VCPR is also taking the opportunity to complete additional cleaning throughout the aquatics area. These extra steps reflect the department’s commitment to maintaining a safe, welcoming environment and providing added peace of mind for members and guests. Projects during the closure include cleaning of the hot tub interior, tile replacement and grout work, and painting in select areas of the pool area. In addition, pool tile and duct work will be cleaned along with conducting an inspection of the pool interior and completing any necessary plaster repairs.

Jacobson said this maintenance period also provides a hands-on learning opportunity as we welcome our new Aquatics Manager, Mercidez Lunn, who will be working alongside staff to prepare the facility for a successful season. During this time, staff are not only completing routine maintenance but also planning and organizing programming for spring and summer.

Other upcoming events and activities for the indoor pool include a Lifeguard Class on April 25–26, as well as Aquafit classes and swimming lessons. He said planning is also underway for summer aquatics activities. The outdoor pool is tentatively scheduled to open the last week of May, just in time for the start of the summer season. Improvements to the outdoor pool include a new shade structure and new windscreens following storm damage from June 2025.

Other exciting opportunities are coming up at the Rec Center, including Spring Bash, happening March 29 from 1–3 PM in partnership with the VCSU Track and Field team and Valley City Kiwanis. The event will feature an Easter egg hunt, bounce houses, roller skating, a bake sale, and face painting and temporary tattoos.

Summer is also coming up quickly, and the Summer Guide is published on our website vcparks.com. Find things like adult leagues, youth programs, park information, events including our July Celebration calendar, and so much more.
Updates about the indoor pool reopening and upcoming aquatics programming will be shared on Valley City Parks and Recreation’s website and social media channels. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for another season of indoor and outdoor pool fun!