Project History

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History of the Redmond Pool

The pool was built in 1972 by King County using Forward Thrust bond funding and was transferred to the City in 2010. The pool systems outlived their useful life and regular mechanical system failures resulted in difficulty in finding replacement parts between 2010 and 2017.  The pool was at risk of closure if essential system improvements were not made.

In 2016-2017, extensive stakeholder involvement gathered by the community on the Future of Redmond’s Community Centers identified aquatics as the top priority for community center services. In response, the City conducted an energy audit of the Redmond Pool, and the consultant recommended improving the existing pool as the most cost-effective approach since the building was found to be structurally sound.

The Redmond Pool Improvement project was identified in the Facilities Strategic Management Plan that was adopted by City Council in January 2019. The City Council adopted the 2019-2025 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as part of the 2019-2020 overall budget. The purpose of the renovation is to improve essential and high priority systems and make structural improvements to allow the pool to operate an additional 25-30 years as a vital community space.  

City of Redmond currently contracts with WAVE Aquatics to offer swim lessons, classes and open swim - hosting 95,000 visitors per year, including local high school swim teams, cultural groups, seniors and community organizations.

Regional Aquatics Study

Communities on the Eastside have long expressed interest in an Eastside pool. Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond have all studied the market demand, community needs, program, and sites for local aquatics facilities over the past few years. In 2016, King County began meeting with staff from interested cities and aquatics/recreation organizations to explore the possibility of a partnership on an Eastside regional aquatic facility. 

In 2018, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to study the feasibility of a regional aquatics facility. The work of this partnership is summarized in the Regional Aquatics Report.  

The Regional Aquatics Report is available online and the City recently briefed City Council at the City Council meeting on February 25 in preparation for a future decision about whether to continue in a Regional Aquatics Partnership.