PHOTO PROVIDED An architectural mockup shows the completed Kepler Pool, which is expected to reopen in 2028.

BELLEFONTE — Eight years after it closed for renovations, Bellefonte’s Kepler Pool is projected to reopen in 2028.

According to Centre County Administrator John Franek, the Nittany Valley Joint Recreation Authority (NVJRA), which owns and operates the pool, told the county it expects to complete the first phase of renovations by December 2027.

The update comes after Centre County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a funding extension to keep the long-delayed project moving forward.

After closing in 2020 due to mechanical issues, the Kepler Pool project faced funding setbacks that stalled its reopening. It wasn’t until the NVJRA recently received $1.475 million in grant funding from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that Phase One’s $2.9 million price tag was finally met and the project could move forward.

Phase One will overhaul the pool and its systems and includes the installation of decking and safety equipment. PennTerra Engineering is assisting with design and renovation work.

Though Phases Two and Three, which encompass a children’s area and a complete renovation of the bathhouse, have yet to secure the more than $1.6 million in funding they require, the pool can open and operate without their completion.

News of the progress on the rehabilitation and improvement project was revealed during discussion at this week’s Centre County commissioners meeting, where the board voted to extend American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated to the project through Dec. 31, 2027, the date by which the NVJRA had guaranteed Phase One would be complete. The $110,000 in American Rescue Plan funds were originally awarded in August 2023. The authority intends to use them to assist with match requirements for the DCNR grant.

In total, the county said the NVJRA, which is a joint venture of Bellefonte Borough and Spring, Benner and Walker townships, has raised a total $2,951,652 for the pool.

During the meeting, commissioners said they are supportive of the project and expressed appreciation for the work of local municipalities, state agencies, NVJRA volunteers and elected officials in securing grant funding.

“We appreciate the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of hours of work they’ve put in to move this project forward,” Commissioner Mark Higgins said.

Commissioners Amber Concepcion and Steve Dershem emphasized the public benefit the pool provides to the 32,000 residents of greater Bellefonte.

“This project will not only provide a space for families to bring their kids and learn to swim, but even potentially a space for competitions,” Concepcion remarked.

“Having grown up at that pool, I’ll tell you it was well used when I was a kid,” Dershem said. “I can’t wait for the next generation of kids to be able to enjoy it.”

He added he believes every community should have a public swimming pool and that every child should be taught to swim.

Concepcion, meanwhile, noted that drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children and said swimming lessons are among the best ways to prevent fatalities. According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States.

The county said NVJRA is now working through the bid process and with the state Department of Community and Economic Development and DCNR on local funding options.

The commissioners ended by emphasizing their continued support for the project.

“We will keep trying to find ways to keep this thing going,” Higgins said.

The NVJRA could not be reached for comment by press time.