Additional soaking pools, extended hours and other upgrades are coming to Durango Hot Springs and Resort, formerly known as Trimble Spa and Natural Hot Springs, owners say.

Construction started this week at the facility, a few miles north of Durango off County Road 203. The first step, said co-owner Brian Yearout, is to repair the Olympic-size pool’s structural problem.

Yearout and co-owner Dan Carter, who have owned homes in the Durango area for decades, bought the resort last month and quickly announced planned improvements. The resort had been for sale for years.

Yearout said they hope to provide a “higher-end experience,” in part by increasing the number of soaking pools, currently at two; expanding spa services; and improving facilities, such as the bathrooms and locker rooms.

“We want to create a more resort feel,” he said.

The owners hope to submit a master design plan to La Plata County this year and start full-scale construction next summer.

“We think it’s a resource to this community that’s valuable and underutilized,” Yearout said. “This facility was on its last leg and needed to be upgraded.”

But just as important, Yearout said, is keeping the resort affordable for locals.

Rates will not rise during construction, he said, and the soaking pools, spa and sauna will remain open. The resort is open 11 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. seven days a week, except Tuesdays when it closes early at 7:45 p.m.

After construction is complete, Yearout said, admission prices likely will rise to reflect the owners’ investment and to align with resorts in the area. Locals likely will be offered deals and memberships, he said.

“It’s important for us to maintain our local base,” he said. “We want to enhance their experience, not exclude them.”

They’ve also said they hope to add features such as e-bike rentals and live entertainment.

“We’re optimistic about the future of this place,” Yearout said.

And what’s in store for longtime resident cats Albert and Spike? Yearout said they’re staying put.

“Everyone has been asking about them,” he said. “They’ve been here forever … and there’s no point taking away something that makes it enjoyable to be here.”

jromeo@durangoherald.com