underground garage...

can you provide pictures of the area? (It might help with possible suggestions).

As suggested, you can deck the area and use it to suit your lifestyle ie: outdoor table tennis, bbq etc...

Depending on the size and shape you could create a tree grove, garden or maze.

Put a deck over the top and grow herbs underneath

Use it as a skateboard bowl and charge an entry fee.

If you're a keen gardener you could convert the pool into a water tank. There ate companies that specialise in pool conversions.

partly collapse one end and put some steps in (can be made out of the soil with timber/sleepers/rocks etc as the vertical component) and make it into a garden with a firepit and some seats around it. can be made into a moist microclimate by placing some shadecloth over the top

@ Ba Beltramo,

I think this dilemma might be better solved if we we had pictures, as suggested by rahnch but if that is too difficult to provide, it would help if you supplied more information about exactly where this pool sits as opposed to the home and what size and shape it is including the lay of the land, pool fencing etc...

I'm a little concerned about some of the suggestions that even talk of possibly destroying the pool although I have nothing personally against the suggestion providing you are well informed and take into account what will best suit you personally.

After reading you dilemma heading again, "Re-design the space AFTER pool"

I'm now assuming that the pool may already be gone and you have a huge hole where it once sat?? If that's the case, then it could be as simple as filling the hole in as you suggested yourself.

If the pool is still in place and you are considering filling it in, then I would be concerned about your thoughts to effectively destroy it when I personally know just how costly is it to have a pool in the first place with many people who could only dream of having one!!

At the end of the day, your property must work for you but I would hope you give it allot of thought before you do anything.

Thanks a lot for all your suggestions. The situation is real - not an assignment - and the pool sits in the front- not the backyard. It is surrounded by some small trees and a wall, and the terrain outside the wall slopes slightly - not steep enough to make the space into an underground garage.

Another tricky aspect is the drainage; we cannot just put a deck over it. You can see now that we truly appreciate your input. Thanks again.

Yes thanks for the update but pictures would be fantastic if possible, your dilemma sound difficult to solve.

May I ask, what do you want or think you can do to solve your problem?

Billie

You could meet the problem halfway and fill in the hole to half the depth.

You could then landscape it with a few big boulders and native plants and trees and a few steps which curves around as a sitting area. A bird bath would also enhance the area and create a grotto affect.

I have seen a similar area which has been dugout to form a bowl and then land scaped in this fashion. It makes a great feature and gives the front of the house real street appeal. You would probably save some money too.

It depends on how close the pool is to structural walls. You mentioned a "wall" but did not specify the type of wall. A boundary wall - a house wall?? If you drain an inground pool and leave it empty, it may "pop up" or shift and create instability in surrounding structural walls, presenting you with another set of problems. Also, you can't just fill in the pool without considering drainage issues. Rainwater and runoff will simply stagnate in the bottom of the hole and have nowhere to go. You don't want that problem as it is extremely difficult to rectify once the hole is filled in. There are other considerations too that will depend on the unique characteristics of your block and your intentions. I would definitely seek a professional opinion before just filling in the hole.