Buhl City Pool Set to Reopen June 9 After 2025 Staffing Shortage Forced Full Closure
BUHL, Idaho — Families across Buhl will have their community pool back this summer after the city confirmed the 85-year-old facility will open on June 9, running for 11 weeks through the season. The announcement follows a painful 2024 summer when a lifeguard shortage forced city officials to cancel pool operations entirely, leaving parents scrambling to keep children entertained during the warm months.
Officials say the city has now assembled a full lifeguard staff, resolving the core obstacle that shuttered the facility last year. For many families living within walking distance of the pool, the news brings significant relief.
“Having the pool now is just so exciting,” said Buhl resident Rhema Tom, who noted that many families in the neighborhood can walk to the facility rather than driving elsewhere for summer recreation. Tom said last year’s closure made it genuinely difficult to keep kids active and engaged. “You can only walk around the park so many times,” she said.
Buhl City Council President Marla Sisson echoed the community’s enthusiasm, noting the closure hit close to home for her as well. “I know that my kids were sad last year,” Sisson said. “I’m so happy to be able to tell citizens that we finally have our pool that’s opening.”
Parking Ordinance Draws Community Pushback
Even as the pool controversy winds down, a separate dispute has taken hold in Buhl. A parking ordinance adopted in 2024 bans trailers and campers from sitting on residential streets unless they are actively being loaded or unloaded. The change marked a significant shift from the prior rule, which permitted trailers to remain parked on city streets for up to 72 hours — though enforcement of that older rule was widely regarded as inconsistent.
The new restrictions have drawn sharp criticism from residents who say the ordinance swings too far in the opposite direction. One resident at a council meeting captured the sentiment bluntly: “We’ve gone from one extreme to another.”
A community petition seeking to repeal the ordinance has gathered more than 200 signatures. Residents interviewed in downtown Buhl shared a range of views, with some supporting the concept of limiting street parking of large vehicles but calling for a more reasonable window — roughly 8 to 12 hours — for loading and unloading. Others reported being cited within an hour of placing a trailer on the street, which many described as an unreasonable enforcement posture.
In response to the volume of public concern, the Buhl City Council is now working on a revised version of the ordinance. A public hearing on the proposed changes has been scheduled for June 8 — one day before the pool opens — giving residents an opportunity to weigh in before the council takes further action.
“I am hopeful that we can work together as a community,” Sisson said, adding that the goal is to reach “some sort of common ground where people feel heard.”
Council Meetings Now Streamed Live
Buhl has also taken steps to improve civic transparency. Beginning in December 2025, all City Council meetings are streamed live on YouTube and archived for later viewing. Sisson, who acknowledged that busy schedules prevent many residents from attending in person, said the move should broaden public participation and help correct misinformation that can spread rapidly on social media.
“If you have a live video of what we are actually saying, what is happening in the city, not only does it fact-check that, but it keeps people involved,” Sisson said.
The combination of a pool reopening, a pending ordinance revision, and expanded government transparency gives Buhl residents more avenues to engage with their local government heading into summer.
What Comes Next
The Buhl city pool is scheduled to open Monday, June 9, for an 11-week summer season. Residents interested in the parking ordinance debate can attend or watch the public hearing on June 8. City Council meetings are now available to stream live or on demand through the city’s YouTube channel. Twin Falls County families looking for other summer recreation news can follow developments at Twin Falls City Park, which is set for a major expansion including new playground features. For more community and local government coverage across Magic Valley, visit Idaho News.