Swim Squared, the only publicly accessible pool for miles near Leadville, Colorado, may close in the coming months due to dwindling revenue [1].
The potential loss of the facility removes a critical recreational resource for the community. Because the pool is the sole public swimming option in the area [1], its closure would leave residents without a local venue for exercise and cooling during the summer months.
Owner Eric Godsman said the business is struggling to stay afloat following a combination of environmental challenges. A dry winter reduced water availability, while a recent wildfire near town discouraged visitors from traveling to the facility [1, 2]. These factors led to a sharp drop in patronage and a corresponding loss of income [1, 2].
To combat the financial shortfall, Godsman has turned to crowdsourcing. He launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds necessary to keep the doors open for the community [1].
"If we don’t get more visitors, we won’t be able to keep the pool open," Godsman said [2].
The facility serves as a hub for the Leadville area, providing a safe environment for swimming and aquatic activity. The owner said the campaign is a last-resort effort to preserve the space [1].
"We’ve started a GoFundMe to try and save Swim Squared for the community," Godsman said [1].
“"If we don’t get more visitors, we won’t be able to keep the pool open."”
The struggle of Swim Squared highlights the vulnerability of small-scale community infrastructure to extreme weather patterns. When a single facility provides a vital public service, environmental shocks like wildfires and drought do not just impact business revenue—they create a public health gap by removing accessible exercise and cooling options for an entire region.
