How did the Maine West Pool come to be?
The Maine West Pool was original to the building, which was built in 1959. The pool construction was funded partially with the Des Plaines Park District. For years, before Chippewa Pool and Iroquois Pool were built in the late 1960’s, Maine West was the only pool open year-round in Des Plaines, besides Rand Park which operated along side Maine West in the summer. After Chippewa and Iroquois Pool’s were built, the need for an indoor pool in the summer was not needed and the Park District discontinued their use of the Maine West Pool in the summer. Not much has changed since the pool was built back in 1959. There were lighting upgrades along with window replacement. Windows were replaced by glass block along the south wall in addition to bricking up old windows along the east and west walls. There was once a 3-meter diving board along with a one-meter diving board. It was replaced by the single one-meter currently in place. The old location is clearly marked by the dark tile on the pool
