AUSTIN, Texas — Since 1947, Austin's Barton Springs Bathhouse has served Central Texans and travelers alike as they swim in the nearby municipal pool.
The bathhouse has also been a space for lifeguard offices, SPLASH! aquafer exhibits and the Beverly Sheffield Educational Center, which focuses on water and salamander protection.
On Feb. 15, a renovation project will start on the bathhouse to give it a variety of improvements. That project will continue until spring 2025, with a groundbreaking ceremony set for 10 a.m. on Feb. 22 at 2131 William Barton Dr.
The renovation project will also cause the temporary closure of the northside public parking lot.
Temporary restrooms and showers will be located next to the bathhouse along with a pool entrance on the north side.
While construction is underway, William Barton Drive will also be reduced to a one-way road not open for public use.
Although Barton Springs Pool itself will remain open under normal hours of operation, the bathhouse construction could cause additional traffic in the area.
Specific updates to the bathhouse include new mechanical, electrical, plumbing and drainage systems; improvements to the entry and exit area; public space; landscaping and parking; an access lane for firetrucks; accessibility changes; and making sure everything is in accordance with proper code.
And those might not be the only changes coming to the bathhouse.
In late 2023, an Austin-area organization called the Barton Springs Bathhouse Working Group proposed the idea of giving the building a new name.
The original namesake is William Barton, who "was the owner of enslaved people, and he has had a problematic history with the indigenous people of the area," according to Pedro Villalobos, the creator of the Barton Springs Bathhouse Working Group and a Parks and Recreation Board chairmember.
Proposed new names were submitted to the Austin City Council on Jan. 18 and include options like Means Bathhouse, Means-Martinez Bathhouse and Yanaguana Springs Bathhouse, to name a few.
These options would represent those who helped desegregate the pool while also reflecting the history of the indigenous Coahuiltecan culture.
Because of construction closures, those interested in attending the groundbreaking ceremony should park at the Rock Garden picnic area parking lot.
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