Portland will tear down the 96-year-old Columbia Pool in North Portland after an effort to find alternatives came up empty.

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) announced Tuesday, Sept. 22, that the pool, built in 1930, will be demolished later this year, as first reported by The Oregonian. No specific demolition date has been set.

The pool closed temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic and was shut down for good in 2022. PP&R said an independent structural engineering inspection found severe safety hazards and significant deterioration in the building.

Mayor Keith Wilson paused the planned demolition in March 2025 to give the city time to assess the building and explore other uses. During the pause, the city studied converting Columbia Pool into an outdoor, seasonal facility, the Portland Tribune reported. After a feasibility study, the city concluded that securing the funding to reopen or reconfigure the building was not viable, PP&R said in a news release.

The pool served North Portland for nearly a century.

PP&R faces roughly $759 million in major maintenance needs across its facilities, according to an August 2026 department release.

A replacement is in the pipeline. The city plans to break ground on the North Portland Aquatic Center at Northgate Park in fall 2027. The project carries $91.5 million in funding assembled between 2021 and 2023, including $15 million in Oregon lottery funds and the rest from System Development Charge allocations.

The new center will include an indoor pool with play features, a competitive lap pool, a spa, lockers and reservable party rooms. PP&R projects the facility will serve about 70,000 people.

Construction is expected to run from fall 2027 through winter 2029 or 2030. Scott Edwards Architecture is the design firm.

A demolition date for Columbia Pool will be announced once permits and contractor timelines are confirmed, PP&R said.