After years of planning, the Haines Pool is inching closer to having a sauna.

Haines Borough Public Facilities Director Brad Ryan said the borough is waiting on fire marshal approval before construction can begin.

The idea for a sauna at the community pool came about in 2013. After several planned locations were deemed unsuitable by pool staff or the state fire marshal, the sauna will tentatively be located in an empty corner by the east stairs to the balcony.

Haines Friends of the Pool raised over $9,500 for the project, which the borough took control of in early 2017.

Ryan said the borough is shooting to keep cost around that price point, but including a shower between the sauna and pool might up the cost.

“My concern is that (the fire marshal) is going to come back with an expensive review,” Ryan said.

Last summer the fire marshal signed off on a sauna design located in a utility room between the pool’s locker rooms, but pool staff ultimately nixed that location, which is used for refreshments during the swim club’s annual meet.

A location in the pool’s atrium was rejected due to access concerns. The current site was one initially identified by Darsie Culbeck, who proposed the sauna project. It’s used by timers during the annual swim meet.

Ryan said depending on a good review and approval from the fire marshal, the sauna could be constructed within a month.