Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo has ordered the temporary suspension of activities at the city’s municipal pools and other aquatic facilities while an independent safety review is conducted. The decision affects three facilities and keeps Bucky Dent Water Park, which was already closed, closed.
According to CBS News Miami, Calvo made the decision after receiving information that, he explained, raised concerns about the operation of the aquatic facilities. The mayor clarified that the measure was adopted by the city administration itself and was not in response to an order from an external agency.
“When I received information that raised additional concerns about our aquatic operations, I decided to act immediately,” Calvo stated.
To analyze the situation, the city will hire an independent health and safety expert, who will examine the conditions of each facility, its operation, and the necessary improvements before allowing them to reopen to the public. The review includes the following facilities: Babcock Pool, McDonald’s Water Park, Milander Aquatic Center, and Bucky Dent Water Park, which was already closed.
The decision comes after Hialeah moved forward with an evaluation of its aquatic facilities. In 2025, the city approved hiring a specialized firm to conduct a study on the conditions of its municipal pools. This shows that the review of these spaces was already on the administration’s agenda before the now-announced closure.
That analysis included Babcock Pool, Bright Pool, Bucky Dent Water Park, McDonald’s Water Park, Milander Aquatic Center, Reid Pool, and Walker Pool. Municipal documentation thus shows that the safety and conditions of these spaces were already on the city’s agenda before the now-announced decision.
Calvo also maintained that some of the infrastructure problems originated in previous years. In response to a letter from Commissioner René García, he attributed the state of several parks and public spaces to years of deferred maintenance and a lack of investment.
In that context, he requested assistance in obtaining $5 million to renovate and modernize these facilities. “Our families have waited long enough, and I agree that they deserve parks and pools worthy of this community,” he stated.
The decision comes after the Florida Department of Health ordered the closure of Bucky Dent Water Park, where an inspection found 34 violations related to water quality, safety, filtration and circulation systems, and permits.
Among the problems noted, inspectors found a pool without chlorine, a pH level of 10, above the state maximum of 7.8, damaged safety equipment, and a drain cover missing some of its screws, posing a trap, according to the Miami Herald.
For now, no date has been announced for the reopening of Hialeah’s pools. The reopening will depend on the results of the analysis and the implementation of any necessary measures, according to CBS News.
The municipal administration reported that it will provide further updates on the process and the planned schedule for each establishment.
