Austin Parks and Recreation, Friends of Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, Austin Parks Foundation and the Allandale Neighborhood Association will host a free community celebration Aug. 9 marking 70 years since the Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest Pool's formal dedication, according to a city news release.
The celebration
The event will begin at noon at the pool, 7000 Ardath St., Austin, with entry fees waived so visitors can join, per the release. It will feature snacks and beverages, historic photos and memorabilia and a short demonstration from the McCallum High School swim team.
Sally Sheffield Attaway, daughter of the pool's namesake Beverly Sheffield, is expected to speak, while son Steve Sheffield and other family members are expected to attend, the release states.
The backstory
The city purchased the parkland in 1955 and completed construction within a year, with the pool hosting its first swim meet July 28, 1956, ahead of a formal dedication ceremony Aug. 9, 1956, according to the release.
As Austin's first 50-meter Olympic-size pool, it allowed the city to qualify for national swim meets for the first time and drew more than 31,000 visitors in its first full month, outpacing Barton Springs Pool at the time, the release states.
The park and pool were renamed in 2001 to honor former Parks and Recreation Director Beverly S. Sheffield.
A new chapter
The pool recently completed a renovation funded through the city's 2018 general obligation bond, according to the Austin Parks and Recreation project website.
Improvements included a new zero-entry toddler pool, shade structures, renovated bathhouses, and upgraded fencing, lighting and landscaping. A ribbon-cutting for the renovated facility was held April 30, per the project page.
