The Billings Parks Department presented three different plans for a new swimming pool in South Park at Monday night’s city council meeting.

There is no concrete timeline for when this will happen, and the city council has yet to decide whether to approve any of these plans and how they will be funded.

Children have been having fun at the South Park swimming pool for 110 years, and according to the city, the pool and bathhouse need to be replaced.

“I think it would be nice if they remodeled it the way they wanted,” said Linda Vasquez, who lives in South Billings. “A lot of kids go there.”

“We haven’t been there yet,” said Kyle Spang, who also lives in South Billings. “The last time I was there was maybe a couple of years ago and it was pretty run down. It just felt a little unsafe.”

The three options for a new swimming pool in South Park would cost $8 million for option one, $11.5 million for option two, and $15.6 million for option three.

“It’s basically the same type of pool construction, just with more amenities,” said Mike Pigg, Billings’ director of parks, recreation and public lands, of the three concepts. “You would add something. Will there be a slide? Will there be a lazy river? What additional amenities would be added? And so you get a price increase.”

Pigg said the pool and building could be arranged differently.

“Some of the concepts would be to move it away from the street and put the building in front of it, similar to the Rose (Park) swimming pool,” Pigg said. “And then put the swimming pool behind it, and then the swimming pool will probably change and become a zero-entry swimming pool.”

Pigg said the zero entry allows children and adults to enter the pool without having to jump into three feet of water.

And the same report shows that replacing the wading pools in Pioneer Park and Hawthorne Park, as well as the water playground in Terry Park, is a top priority.

“Thirty-five, almost 40 years old, and these things are wearing out,” Pigg said. “And they’re worn out.”

And despite the condition of the South Park swimming pool, the neighborhood kids still have a lot of fun there.

“My kids have a lot of fun at the pool and it’s a great way for them to pass the time,” says Brittany, another South Billings resident.

“It was really nice, but I really think it needs to be improved,” Vasquez said.

“It keeps them safe and makes sure they are doing something positive and healthy,” Spang said.

And at this point, there is no estimated date when any of these projects will begin.

“Even the design will take six months,” Pigg said. “But we have to raise the money for it, and that’s the biggest hurdle. We have a job.”