Arrr, me hearties, sadly it’s time to abandon ship.
The pirate ship, the USS Woodland, that has sailed the (not so) briny deep, and delighted children at the Woodland Aquatics Center pool for 24 years, is no longer seaworthy.
“We understand the Woodland pool pirate ship is an historic and beloved water feature, generations of families have enjoyed this iconic feature. However, the safety of our aquatics operations is our number one priority,” said Monica Conrad, Director of Parks and Recreation. “We have to decommission the ship.” A routine inspection of the ship this spring indicated extensive corrosion to several structural components.
The crow’s nest was removed this morning, and the main demolition will occur this evening.
Conrad said the City is working with suppliers to replace the ship, however, with Woodland Aquatics Center set to open May 29, it will likely take until the summer of 2022 to replace it.
