The Decatur County Redevelopment Commission (RDC) has given a $1.5M boost toward the building of a new community swimming pool.
RDC members voted unanimously to contribute to the effort during their December board meeting.
“Among the many purposes of the RDC is to maintain and enhance community assets that attract business, residents and visitors to Decatur County and benefits the Economic Development Area,” said RDC board president Don Schilling. “I believe the pool project fits perfectly into the scope of what the RDC is designed to do, and I’m happy my fellow board members agreed.”
The RDC heard the request for support from Commissioner Gabriel Nobbe who, along with Decatur County Park and Rec Executive Director, Chris Noblitt, is leading the charge to bring this amenity back to the county.
“The original Allen Memorial Pool served our community well for more than 60 years,” noted Nobbe. “We fully expect the new facility to be just as impactful.”
Given its proximity to the ball diamonds, Nobbe and Noblitt expect the new pool be a complementary feature to the record crowds that are coming through the sports complex for tournaments. Nobbe thanked the RDC for playing a huge supportive role in that ball diamonds project, which saw more than 175,000 visitors in 2025.
“We are very grateful that the RDC has expressed their optimism and support for the new pool in such a generous way, “ said Nobbe.
The RDC pledge officially brings the pool effort to $2.5M of a $4.5M goal. Funding for the project is being managed by the Decatur County Community Foundation, which was the first group to announce public financial support of the project. Any business or individual interested in supporting the pool can visit dccfound.org/give-online, click on the green “Access Our Secure Online Giving Portal”, and select the Aquatic Center Project to give.
Information provided by The Decatur County Community Foundation.
