the original reception area, visitors entered around the side of the bathhouse and paid their fee at an exterior counter. From there they could use one of two dressing rooms which had been carved out of the original men's dressing room. Over time, the repurposed portions of the bathhouse, namely the original entryway and women's dressing room, fell into disrepair and were boarded up. In 2002, the Friends of Deep Eddy, a non-profit association of swimmers and other parks advocates, began a fundraising campaign to renovate the bathhouse to its historic condition. An initial inspection in the spring of 2003 found that the roof was near total collapse and the site was infested by vermin. First construction on the project began in 2005 when the Friends group replaced the dilapidated roof. At that point the group had raised $315,000 of the $1 million needed to restore the bathhouse, with most of the money coming from individual donors, proceeds from special events, and T-shirt sales. With work underway, the seriousness of the group's effort became apparent to institutional donors and the City of Austin. Funds for the project started to come in from the Houston Foundation, the Austin Community Foundation, the Moody Foundation, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The Austin City Council eventually committed $500,000 to the project. Austin-based architects, Laurie Limbacher and Al Godfrey, were hired to perform the restoration work. Although their preservation plan restored the building to its original configuration, several alterations were made to improve conditions for swimmers and staff. A decorative metal gable was installed around the women's dressing room to enhance privacy while maintaining the roofless nature of the structure. A lounge for lifeguards and a manager's office were also added. A concrete-cooling system, which pumps cold water from the pool beneath the floor of the lobby, was installed to keep the room comfortable during the summertime without the use of air conditioning. Final construction and reopening of the bathhouse took place in June 2007. In the end, over 700 individuals and businesses contributed to the project. According to the Austin Chronicle, the Friends of Deep Eddy established "a model for future Austin public works." Sources Works Cited External links Friends of Deep Eddy KXAN-TV News article on Bathhouse Restoration Project City of Austin page listing times for Deep Eddy Photos of Deep Eddy Bathhouse restoration Swimming venues in Austin, Texas City of