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Florida Department of Health inspectors found excessive dirt and debris in the water, missing escutcheon plates on handrails, an unsecured main drain cover, a broken water-level device, a leaking filter, a stuck flow meter and modified water-recirculation equipment at Bucky Dent Water Park\u2019s Plunge Pool in Hialeah.<\/p>\n
Florida Department of Health<\/p>\n
The Florida Department of Health\u2019s closure of Bucky Dent Water Park has prompted Hialeah City Council members to demand greater transparency and oversight as Mayor Bryan Calvo shuts down all city-operated pools.<\/p>\n
The state closed the three Bucky Dent pools on Aug. 5 after inspectors found the facility operating without a valid permit and documented dozens of violations involving water quality, equipment, maintenance and safety.<\/p>\n
However, it wasn\u2019t until the Miami Herald reported the state\u2019s closure and detailed the Health Department\u2019s findings, including 34 individual violations across the three Bucky Dent pools, that Calvo announced the closure of all city-operated pools<\/a>. The violations included inadequate chlorine<\/a>, a pH level above the state\u2019s maximum, problems with pool equipment and safety components, and modifications to pump, filtration and recirculation equipment without the required prior approval.<\/p>\n The mayor said he made the decision out of an \u201cabundance of caution and prudence\u201d and wants an independent pool expert to inspect every facility before the city considers reopening them.<\/p>\n The shutdown prompted council members to seek more information about city projects and how the administration communicates critical issues to the council.<\/p>\n Councilwoman Gelien Perez asked that Parks, Construction, Streets and Public Works provide the City Council with a monthly capital budget report.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s important for us to be informed because we get phone calls from our residents,\u201d Perez said during Tuesday\u2019s council meeting. \u201cI believe it\u2019s important that we get a monthly report here at the council from these departments so we can keep in touch, better understanding what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Perez\u2019s request came as council members questioned the administration about the pool closures and what led to the problems at Bucky Dent.<\/p>\n Councilwoman Melinda De La Vega asked the city what needs to be done before the city\u2019s pools can reopen.<\/p>\n Calvo blamed previous administrations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had facilities that were neglected for years, years of negligence completely in terms of the upkeep,\u201d Calvo said. \u201cMany of these pools are not operational. Bucky Dent was one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvo said his administration also rebuilt Bucky Dent, including its pumps and filtration system, before reopening the facility July 31. Five days later, the Health Department inspected the pools and found they were operating without a valid permit.<\/p>\n The problems under Calvo\u2019s administration have not been limited to Bucky Dent. State records show that the Wave Pool at McDonald Park was rated unsatisfactory in May after inspectors found that equipment had been modified without the state\u2019s required approval. The violation did not result in the pool being closed.<\/p>\n City records show Bucky Dent had received substantial investment before Calvo took office in January. More than $933,000 had been allocated for improvements to the aquatic center, including pool renovations and equipment. The spending raises questions about Calvo\u2019s characterization of Bucky Dent as a facility that had been neglected for years and about how the park could reopen after those investments while still operating without a valid state permit and with dozens of violations identified by state inspectors.<\/p>\n The Bucky Dent inspection came one day after an 80-year-old man suffered a medical emergency in one of the pools. The incident prompted two complaints to the Health Department.<\/p>\n The city initially said Bucky Dent was being closed \u201cout of an abundance of caution\u201d following the medical incident. Later, Hialeah said the state permit was still pending because of an \u201coversight\u201d in filling out a form. Now that the Health Department\u2019s inspection records are public, Calvo said he wants to ensure the problems identified at Bucky Dent are not repeated at the city\u2019s other aquatic facilities.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to make sure that this doesn\u2019t happen in the future and that we are in the best, best shape possible,\u201d Calvo said. He described the pools as a \u201chuge liability\u201d for the city, noting that the facilities are used by children and seniors and said the city wants to make sure \u201ceverything is as perfect as humanly possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvo\u2019s decision expanded a state-ordered closure of one water park into a citywide shutdown of every aquatic facility, while council members pressed the administration for regular information about capital projects, pool conditions, the outside inspection and the steps needed before the facilities can reopen.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, we got this Department of Health report saying that even though we did all these things and all this work and all this effort, they still highlighted additional things that we would have to do in order to be able to get their approval in order to operate,\u201d Calvo said.<\/p>\n Calvo said he wants an independent expert to inspect every city pool before any facility reopens.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to have these facilities open to the public unless I have an independent expert that knows everything about pools,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ll come in and review every single pool, top to bottom, left to right, and tell us exactly what are the conditions of the pool. What has to be done?\u201d<\/p>\n The administration has also put forward an estimated $5 million price tag to repair Bucky Dent and other city aquatic facilities, although officials have not publicly detailed how they arrived at that figure.<\/p>\n The Miami Herald attempted to ask Calvo who authorized Bucky Dent to reopen without a valid state operating permit, how he learned about the Health Department\u2019s findings and how the city calculated the estimate for repairs to Bucky Dent and other aquatic facilities.<\/p>\n Calvo did not answer the questions. After the council meeting, he rushed up the stairs toward his office, accompanied by police officers, as a Herald reporter attempted to speak with him.<\/p>\n The exchange came as three of the five council members present at the meeting were asking for more information about the administration\u2019s plans. Council members Monica Perez and Luis Rodriguez were absent.<\/p>\n Councilman William Marrero asked that council members be kept informed during the search for the outside expert and throughout the inspection process.<\/p>\n Marrero also asked for details about the selection process and potential contract. Calvo said the cost would likely exceed $25,000, meaning the contract would probably have to come before the council for approval.<\/p>\n De La Vega also raised concerns about how information reaches council members.<\/p>\n \u201cI would also appreciate it if the council can be kept informed on any critical issues concerning the city,\u201d she said. \u201cI found out through all of them through social media.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvo acknowledged the communication problem.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I found out stuff by reading the paper,\u201d he said. \u201cSo there\u2019s a lot, a lot of issues there that need to be corrected.\u201d<\/p>\n Florida Department of Health inspectors found loose ladders and steps missing anti-slip covers, a loose ladder step, a missing second life hook, high pH levels, low oxidation-reduction potential, low water levels, insufficient water flow, modified water-recirculation equipment and broken or missing gutter grates at Bucky Dent Water Park\u2019s Main Pool. Florida Department of Health <\/p>\n
![\"Records](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2723.jpg\" "\\"IMG_2723.jpg\\"")
Records show the wave pool at McDonald Park was rated unsatisfactory in May after Florida Department of Health inspectors found that equipment had been changed without state approval. The violation did not result in the pool\u2019s closure. City of Hialeah <\/p>\n Bucky Dent Main Pool, where Florida Department of Health inspectors found missing anti-slip covers on all three ladders Florida Department of Health <\/p>\n