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Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago, IL

Wave Divider

Project Outline

Mid-America Pool Renovation performed a complete pool renovation and hydro-blasting prep to restore the aging Kovler Sea Lion Pool at Lincoln Park Zoo, which faced critical failure after 130 years of operation. The structure was losing over 20,000 gallons of water per day through numerous cracks and deteriorating seals.

  • Renovation Goals: The primary objective was to stop the massive daily water loss and restore the historic exhibit with a long-term, durable finish that could withstand constant animal activity and public viewing.
  • Services Selected: Mid-America Pool Renovation utilized a combination of specialized structural repairs and the INTER-GLASS® polymeric system to provide a fully bonded, watertight interior.
  • Background: The pool was suffering from extensive deterioration of its existing coatings and sealants, along with unsightly short-term patches that had failed to address deep-seated structural issues.

Project Specifications:

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Scale: 7,930 Total Square Feet (Rock Features & Pool Surface)
  • Delivery: Structural crack repair, epoxy injection, 40,000 psi water jetting, faux rock coating, and INTER-GLASS® polymeric resurfacing
  • Equipment or Materials Utilized: 40,000 psi Water Jetting unit, Armatec® EpoCem® coating, epoxy elastomeric penetrating resin, and integrally colored INTER-GLASS®
  • Area Type: Kovler Sea Lion Pool (Zoo Exhibit)
  • Timeline: 130-year-old historic structure preservation

Challenges Solved

  • Massive Water Loss:  Viable channels for water loss were identified in unsealed concrete, faux rock cracks, and expansion joints with missing sealant.
  • Historical Structural Degradation:  The most challenging aspect involved a 4-foot high overflow "tunnel" containing embedded shards of original 19th-century iron construction forms.
  • Rock Feature Leakage:  Water was trapped inside the faux rock features, requiring relief holes to be drilled for drainage before cracks could be filled and coated with cementitious waterproofing.
  • Structural Integrity:  Numerous deep cracks in the pool shell were cleaned and treated with a proprietary I/G crack sealing system and high-pressure epoxy injection.
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Special Considerations

  • Ultra-High Pressure Prep:  To ensure a clean bond, 40,000 psi water jetting was used to strip all existing coatings, contaminants, and deteriorated sealants.
  • Viewing Panel Protection:  Eight large underwater viewing panels were removed and replaced with 3/4” plywood during construction to prevent damage to the acrylic surfaces.
  • Confined Space Logistics:  Because the overflow tunnel was only 4 feet high, workers utilized specialized auto-roller carts to transport materials and equipment into the restricted space.
  • Animal Safety Materials:  The final finish included a fluoro-polymer top coating and integrally colored INTER-GLASS® to ensure a non-toxic, naturalistic appearance for the sea lion habitat.

From Our Team

“The 4-FT high overflow ‘tunnel’ with remaining embedded shards from the deteriorating original iron construction forms presented the most challenging efforts for rehabilitation work.”

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