Thank you to everyone who took our survey! Between October 13 and November 1, 2026, 475 households from 25 ZIP codes across the Chequamegon Bay area shared their thoughts on a public pool. Here’s what we heard.

Strong community support

• 70% said a public pool is important to our community, and nearly half gave it the highest rating.
• 75% would use the pool at least a few times a month, and 39% would use it weekly or more.
• 83% would consider supporting the project financially.

Who the pool would serve

• Families: 63% of respondents have children at home, and 76% of those families rated the pool as important.
• Swimmers who travel now: 41% of households already drive to a pool in another town.
• Future swimmers: 46% would enroll someone in swim lessons, which is roughly 390 children from respondent households alone.
• Older adults: among senior households, 80% want water aerobics and 55% want a warm-water therapy pool.

What matters most to you

Your top two requests are about safety and education. In a community on Lake Superior, every child should have the chance to learn to swim.

How you’d use it

The most popular way to pay was a family season pass (44%), followed by daily admission (19%) and punch cards (9%).

We heard your questions

Many of you asked about an indoor pool and year-round swimming. We read every comment. A feasibility study about seven years ago found an indoor pool was not feasible at that time. We’re funding this project through private donations and grants, not taxes, and we’re taking your feedback seriously as planning moves forward. Our goal is to build a pool that meets our community’s needs while keeping operating costs and long-term sustainability in mind.

You also shared great ideas, including partnering with local health providers for therapy use, learning from successful pools in other Wisconsin communities, and making the pool accessible and affordable for everyone. Thank you. We’re keeping a list.

What’s next

Our first goal is raising $25,000 to hire an aquatic design firm to create a blueprint for the pool. That plan opens the door to larger grants and construction funding. We’ve raised $4,500 so far.

Donate today — every gift, large or small, brings us closer. Learn more at ashlandpool.org.