Public access to pools is one of the most important amenities wanted by our community, according to those surveyed for our Peninsula Metropolitan Park District Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) plan. We know access to aquatics programming and swimming lessons are top priorities for peninsula residents and we are working toward finding solutions.
Potential solutions range from shorter term goals of increasing access to aquatic safety and recreational programming through partnerships and added time in the water with instruction, to longer term goals that could one day see the construction of an aquatics facility in Gig Harbor.
PenMet Parks has worked closely with Swim Safe Gig Harbor – a grassroots group advocating for increased access to pools to increase water safety awareness in our community – since its inception. We continue to listen to Swim Safe supporters and community members and are working toward a shared goal of increasing awareness around swimming safety in the harbor.
What we’ve done
In 2022 we embarked on an in-depth public process to complete a feasibility study. We hired a consultant to do this work, which included a community outreach component that let residents and stakeholders, including a project Steering Committee composed of a diverse group of project stakeholders, share what they want. The final study was presented to the Steering Committee and accepted by the Board of Park Commissioners in April 2024.
This study is important because it is the first step in determining direction. It gave us the data we needed to make informed decisions that align with our community’s priorities. We appreciate the continued advocacy from Swim Safe Gig Harbor and other community members and recognize the importance of working together to increase public access to swimming opportunities.
Following the study’s completion, the Board of Park Commissioner formally accepted the document, signifying its commitment to exploring future opportunities. The Board also toured the community pool in neighboring Fircrest to learn about the process it took to build the facility.
The study now serves to identify the demand, interest, design options and cost estimates to construct and maintain a public facility. The options identified and outlined in the study are not a guarantee of what will be built. Instead, they serve as a starting point for further conversation, review and analysis.
What are the results of the Feasibility Study?
The feasibility study found:
- Community input and a market analysis show there is capacity to support a community aquatic center.
- From the site options considered as part of the study, the preferred location is adjacent to the PenMet Parks Recreation Center.
- The construction cost for the proposed facility identified in study is approximately $46 million, and the annual cost to operate the facility is approximately $2.1 million (2025 dollars).
- Recommended next steps include identifying capital and operating funding strategies, conducting additional site analysis to verify the preferred location can support an aquatic center, and evaluate potential partnerships and alternative service providers.
When will a facility be built?
There are no immediate plans to build a facility. We included the development of a pool in our 20-year capital plan. This plan is a tool used by public agencies like PenMet Parks to identify short-, mid- and long-range projects. By placing a future aquatics facility in our plan, we have indicated our commitment to pursue this community need.
Before we can move forward more work is needed. This includes identifying a funding source to not only build it, but also a sustainable funding plan to maintain the facility for community use for years to come.
What is PenMet Parks doing to increase swim safety awareness?
- We contributed $1 million toward the construction of the Tom Taylor Family YMCA pool. As part of that contribution, swim vouchers are available to residents within PenMet Parks district boundaries to use once a quarter to access the pool. Each household is eligible for one voucher per quarter.
- We participated in Drowning Prevention Day in 2025 to raise awareness about swim safety and drowning prevention and will continue to participate to raise awareness about this critical public education.
Here’s what we’re actively working on:
- We are exploring partnerships to offer recreational swimming opportunities to the community in the near term.
- We are refining options and cost estimates and exploring funding strategies and potential partnerships. This includes making sure a facility can be built, and once it’s open it remains open through proper financial planning.
- We continue to maintain open lines of communication with Swim Safe Gig Habor and continue to listen to community input and feedback. This includes providing public updates as new information is available.