CHESAPEAKE — Construction on Chesapeake’s first public pool will begin next month, according to the city.

In October, the city will begin constructing an eight-lane indoor public swimming pool as an addition to the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center in South Norfolk, investing an estimated $27 million in what city leaders have touted as a significant quality of life improvement. Construction is expected to span about 18 months, with the pool ideally opening to the public in May 2027, according to Chesapeake Public Works Director Earl Sorey.

The city also plans to host a groundbreaking event for the long-awaited project in October, though dates have not yet been finalized, Sorey said.

A $12 million boost from state and federal grants is helping the city make good on a long-awaited project that has been promised on-and-off for decades since the city’s founding in the 1960s. Even original plans for the Cuffee Community Center, which opened in 2007, included a pool that was eventually scrapped from the final product.

Earlier this summer, the city received eight bids and ultimately selected Virginia Beach-based Balicore Construction for the project, which will add more than 28,000 square feet of new space to the community center. Once constructed, the pool and aquatic center will feature a diving pool and diving well, splash pad, playground and fountain area, locker rooms, showers and additional rooms for swimming classes and various programs. The pool may also be used for therapeutic recreational purposes and competitive swimming events.

The project will also make various renovations to the community center, including enhancements to the weight rooms and teen rooms.

The indoor pool will have eight lanes and will ideally open to the public in May 2027, according to Chesapeake Public Works Director Earl Sorey. (Courtesy of the city of Chesapeake)

The projected cost of the project has increased during the planning phases. In 2023, when city leaders hoped for a 2026 opening, the total cost was estimated at $20 million.

The city is contributing $15.3 million to the project, fully funded through bonds in the South Norfolk Tax Increment District. Portions of tax revenue from property assessments within South Norfolk’s special tax district are earmarked specifically for projects there, primarily to spur economic development and improve infrastructure.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

https://www.dailypress.com/2025/09/25/chesapeake-public-pool-construction/