Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest Pool to celebrate renovation, 70th birthday

Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest Pool was the first 50-meter pool to open in Austin.

I took my first swim lessons at Northwest District Pool in 1970, more than a decade after it opened as the first 50-meter Olympic-sized pool in Austin.

In the ensuing years, my sisters and I spent long afternoons there, leaving our belongings in wire baskets behind the entry desk, working up the nerve to jump off the high dive and buying ice cream sandwiches from a vending machine in a chain link shed.

The diving board and vending machines are long gone, but the pool recently underwent a renovation. And at noon on Aug. 9, it will mark its 70^th birthday with free entry and a community celebration.

The City of Austin purchased land for the park – at 7000 Ardath Street, the site of an old quarry – in 1955. The pool opened for a swim meet on July 28, 1956, and was formally dedicated on August 9, 1956. During the pool’s first month of operation, more than 31,000 people visited – more than visited Barton Springs Pool at the time, according to a press release from the city.

Read more: Why swimming in a lake, pond or river beats a pool every time

The park was renamed to honor former Parks and Recreation Director Beverly S. Sheffield in 2001. Sheffield’s daughter, Sally Sheffield Attaway, will speak at the Aug. 9 celebration, and other family members will attend.
Recent renovations included resurfacing of the 50-meter pool, new shade structures, upgraded fencing and lighting, and an improved entry area. Thankfully, the curved, open-air bathhouse looks the same, although it’s been upgraded with new fixtures.

The celebration starts at noon and will include a demonstration by the McCallum High School swim team and displays of historic photos and memorabilia. Snacks will be provided. Austin Parks and Recreation, Friends of Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, Austin Parks Foundation and the Allandale Neighborhood Association are hosting the event.