The North Boulder Rec Center was closed for most of the day because of a carbon dioxide leak. Boulder Fire-Crews cleared the building and city staff are working hard to reopen the facility. The North Boulder Rec Center will remain closed for the rest of today (Oct. 15).

At 10:31a.m., Boulder Fire-Rescue was dispatched to the North Boulder Recreation Center for the report of the smell of natural gas. Upon arrival, crews immediately evacuated the building and sent in an initial crew in personal protective equipment to assess the situation. Crews determined the issue to be that of hazardous materials (hazmat) rather than natural gas, requiring the regional cooperation of the Boulder County Hazmat Team.

The hazmat team entered the building from the north side and read elevated levels of carbon dioxide during their assessment. The elevated levels of carbon dioxide were likely due to the pool’s carbon dioxide tank being overfilled or a bad valve. Luckily, no one was injured during this incident and city staff are working hard to reopen the facility.

As a result of the continued high levels of carbon dioxide, the facility will remain closed for the remainder of today, Oct. 15, while the building’s CO2 contractor makes repairs. CO2 is used in the process of disinfection and balancing Ph levels in the pool water.

Follow BPR on Twitter at x.com/boulderparksrec, text BPRnow and/or BPRswim to 888777, and check North Boulder’s Recreation Center’s webpage for the latest updates on when the facility will reopen.

We appreciate the community’s patience today and throughout the resolution of this issue as we work to ensure that North Boulder Recreation Center is a safe space to recreate and play.

Thank you to our regional partners for their assistance during today’s incident, Boulder County Hazmat Team, Boulder Rural Fire, Lafayette Fire, Longmont Fire, Mountain View Fire Rescue and to our colleagues in the following city departments; Facilities, Parks and Rec, and Parks and Recreation Urban Park Rangers.

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