Good News. Permit Received. Repairs Completed. Awaiting Inspections.
Good News. Permit Received. Repairs Completed. Awaiting Inspections.
Our Community Pool Serves Dearborn Park Residents
In 2022, the Virgina Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Reauthorization Act (VGBA) mandated that all public pools use compliant drain covers that cannot be blocked by a swimmer’s body. As a result, the DPMA is required by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to update our main drain cover. All necessary engineering renderings and permitting were filed with IDPH. However, as many Cook County public pools are submitting simultaneously, there is a backlog for permit approval with IDPH. Thus, there is an inevitable delay with the pool opening this season. We believe our permit will be reviewed in the upcoming weeks, though an exact date cannot be guaranteed.
As we noted on 5/20/2026, DPMA is required by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to update our main drain cover in compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Reauthorization Act (VGBA). We submitted drawings and filed all necessary permit application paperwork with IDPH in March. We were told in May to expect a review and approval in early June due to a backlog of applications from public pools across the state, though a date was not guaranteed at that time. We are now being told that this review may not occur until July or August.
Our contractor is ready for immediate installation upon permit approval. We are committed to opening the pool and extending the season into September, provided it is feasible. However, because the timing of the permit approval remains uncertain, we cannot guarantee the pool will open this season due to practical and financial considerations. Our sense is that everyone wants to see the pool open, even for a shorter season. If and when we can do so, we will offer refunds prorated for the pool time lost.
This waiting game hurts us in many ways. The DPMA is a community pool that provides a place to relax, an opportunity for local lifeguards to gain work experience outside of high school, and a space for exercise and aquarobics. We are just as upset about this as you are. Please know that we are working our hardest to get the pool approved and opened for this season for our community. We will keep you updated.
We have been in contact with IDPH and Alderman Robinson on this matter. Please contact IDPH, as well as your local and state representatives, so your concerns are heard. Below is the IDPH contact information. In the coming days, we will be reaching out to local officials and news outlets to escalate this matter. We welcome any other recommendations you may have.
IDPH Division of Environmental Health: 217-782-5830
ALERT: 2026 OPENING DELAYED BY STATE
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