The Clarion Municipal Pool was built in 1941 as Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project, an initiative of the New Deal toward the end of the Great Depression. The facility’s olympic-sized swimming pool opened on May 30, 1942. The facility included a 12-foot deep end with two diving boards and a high dive (which was later removed), a 25-yard 5-foot lap swimming area with 6 lanes, a 3-foot area,
and a baby pool. On opening day in 1942 it cost $7 for a family pass and daily hours were 10:00 a.m. The pool continued with few major changes through the years until 2005. In 2006 the facility was completely renovated and renamed the Clarion Aquatic Center. The community raised $384,000 in private donations and utilized Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and local option sales tax to fund the project. The old bathhouse was demolished and a new bathhouse and concessions stand was built on the north side. The east 1/3 of the pool was rebuilt to include a zero-depth entry with interactive water features. Two large slides tower above the southeast side of the pool. The five-foot lap-swimming area and 12-foot deep-end remain. The deep end features two diving boards and two drop-slides on the west end of the pool. The deck area was enlarged and the facility is includes lighting for evening events. The filtration system was replaced at that time with a new pump house being built at the same location as the previous one, near the southwest corner of the pool. The parking areas north and east of the pool were redone as well. In 2017 the 2 waterslides were refurbished, making them feel like new, and a new heater was installed. In 2020, the 5-foot area got the addition of a rock climbing wall on the south side and a basketball hoop on the north side.