Washington, D.C. is hitting +40 — and all the pools are closed for repairs!

It’s scorching out here. Seriously. Everyone is feeling it.

I try to get some laps in pretty regularly, but right now, I’m totally stuck.

The only thing I could find was this.

Things are even worse over in Sioux Falls. Their pool is shut down for a whole month. And let's be real, the water in Sioux Falls isn't nearly as clean as what you'd find upstream from Columbus—it just doesn't compare.

They’re claiming the renovations always happen in August and that fewer people show up (which is funny because everyone I know says they never go, yet they’d kill to go right about now), but honestly, there's nowhere else to go. 🙄 Besides, why on earth does a renovation need to take more than a couple of days?

For me, this is a disaster. The Youth center is so packed you can basically forget about actually swimming.
What do you guys think? 🤷

I caught this snippet on the radio the other day... just when I thought I’d seen it all and nothing could catch me off guard, something like this pops up.

But, you know, I started mulling it over a bit—thinking through the logic—and I figured maybe that renovation in August is actually timed around the busy schedules of all those local sports clubs training there? Just a thought...🤷

I honestly don't see any issue with scheduling the renovations for August. If you look at the numbers, the major municipal pools in Washington, D.C.—like the ones managed by the Youth programs or those large athletic centers—tend to see their lowest foot traffic during that month. This is largely because about 80% of the people using these facilities are actually members of local sports clubs rather than casual swimmers. Of course, the underlying issue remains that Washington, D.C. is still lacking five or six major aquatic centers to truly meet the needs of the community.

Honestly, once the temperature climbs north of 100 degrees, you shouldn't even be thinking about stepping foot outside, let alone exposing yourself to the Sun. The ozone layer just isn't the reliable shield it used to be.

Harold Adams7 said:I caught this snippet on the radio the other day... just when I thought I’d seen it all and nothing could catch me off guard, something like this pops up.

But, you know, I started mulling it over a bit—thinking through the logic—and I figured maybe that renovation in August is actually timed around the busy schedules of all those local sports clubs training there? Just a thought...🤷

Everyone slows down over the summer, sure, but you make up for it in other ways—not by shutting everything down entirely.
When an entire city shuts down like this, it’s a mess. It's not just Washington, D.C.; take a place like Sioux Falls, for example—there's literally nowhere left to go for a swim. 🤷San Francisco isn't for everyone either.

Robert Lopez6 said:I honestly don't see any issue with scheduling the renovations for August. If you look at the numbers, the major municipal pools in Washington, D.C.—like the ones managed by the Youth programs or those large athletic centers—tend to see their lowest foot traffic during that month. This is largely because about 80% of the people using these facilities are actually members of local sports clubs rather than casual swimmers. Of course, the underlying issue remains that Washington, D.C. is still lacking five or six major aquatic centers to truly meet the needs of the community.

I agree we need more pools, especially since the East Side is so far from everything currently available.
Is there any actual research on this? Or is that just what the Holding Company claims?😬
Even if that 80% figure is right, the regular citizens would help make up the difference, at least somewhat.
I’m at the pool year-round, even when it's snowing or freezing out. In my experience, it's not true that crowds are thinner right now.
It’s just the people who never show up in the winter finally coming out.

Linda Roberts2 said:Honestly, once the temperature climbs north of 100 degrees, you shouldn't even be thinking about stepping foot outside, let alone exposing yourself to the Sun. The ozone layer just isn't the reliable shield it used to be.

Those are indoor pools, Linda. With the outdoor ones, you can paddle around fine; it's so crowded you'll basically run into someone if you even try to swim a lap.

So, when exactly are these indoor pools supposed to get renovated?
I’m just asking, before people start getting offended...

Look, you don't just decide on a renovation overnight or first thing Monday morning. You set a budget and a plan at the start of the year. Back then, none of the folks in charge had a crystal ball telling them we'd be hitting 100 degrees during the maintenance window. (Not that I'm defending ZGH—they've got enough on their plate as it is😁).

Maria Booth96 said:It’s scorching out here. Seriously. Everyone is feeling it.

I try to get some laps in pretty regularly, but right now, I’m totally stuck.

The only thing I could find was this.

Things are even worse over in Sioux Falls. Their pool is shut down for a whole month. And let's be real, the water in Sioux Falls isn't nearly as clean as what you'd find upstream from Columbus—it just doesn't compare.

They’re claiming the renovations always happen in August and that fewer people show up (which is funny because everyone I know says they never go, yet they’d kill to go right about now), but honestly, there's nowhere else to go. 🙄 Besides, why on earth does a renovation need to take more than a couple of days?

For me, this is a disaster. The Youth center is so packed you can basically forget about actually swimming.
What do you guys think? 🤷

Last summer, I spent some time at the waterfront in Columbus, and despite my inherent skepticism toward freshwater—a common affliction for someone raised by the ocean—I found nothing to complain about. The river there is remarkably clean, and the recreational area is quite well-maintained. If I resided there, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to resort to a swimming pool.
As for the river, it is what it is; it will never rival the pristine quality of the Mrežnica or the Dobra, yet in my estimation, it remains a far superior choice to any pool.
During my time in Washington, D.C., I visited a public pool once, and I can assure you it won't be happening again. Central Park, while perhaps not perfect, is incomparably better than a pool.

I’m actually fine with just having a pool during the winter months—an indoor setup feels right. There’s something genuinely romantic about being in warm water while it's snowing outside. Honestly, the municipal pools in St. Louis are top-tier for me.

I don't get out much otherwise. I hit a couple of spots in a small town in the Midwest this year, and made one trip to a small town in the Midwest once (though those folks up north definitely aren't stingy when it comes to the chlorine).

Donna James5 said:Last summer, I spent some time at the waterfront in Columbus, and despite my inherent skepticism toward freshwater—a common affliction for someone raised by the ocean—I found nothing to complain about. The river there is remarkably clean, and the recreational area is quite well-maintained. If I resided there, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to resort to a swimming pool.
As for the river, it is what it is; it will never rival the pristine quality of the Mrežnica or the Dobra, yet in my estimation, it remains a far superior choice to any pool.
During my time in Washington, D.C., I visited a public pool once, and I can assure you it won't be happening again. Central Park, while perhaps not perfect, is incomparably better than a pool.

Especially if you show up around 6:00 AM. At that hour, you basically own the whole park. 🙂
I’ve never been much for sitting out in the blistering sun grilling food, so I usually head down early to find a spot in the shade or hit up a local pub for a beer or a soda.
That’s one of the reasons I never manage to get a decent summer tan. 😁

hiddenmoose16 said:So, when exactly are these indoor pools supposed to get renovated?
I’m just asking, before people start getting offended...

Look, you don't just decide on a renovation overnight or first thing Monday morning. You set a budget and a plan at the start of the year. Back then, none of the folks in charge had a crystal ball telling them we'd be hitting 100 degrees during the maintenance window. (Not that I'm defending ZGH—they've got enough on their plate as it is😁).

It’s always summer, pretty much around the same time every single year.
I don't know, I think we could wrap this up way faster.
Look, I don't get it. If the outer lanes are backed up like a freeway during rush hour, why wouldn't they just open up the inner lanes too? It makes zero sense.
Simple and straightforward.🤷

Donna James5 said:Last summer, I spent some time at the waterfront in Columbus, and despite my inherent skepticism toward freshwater—a common affliction for someone raised by the ocean—I found nothing to complain about. The river there is remarkably clean, and the recreational area is quite well-maintained. If I resided there, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to resort to a swimming pool.
As for the river, it is what it is; it will never rival the pristine quality of the Mrežnica or the Dobra, yet in my estimation, it remains a far superior choice to any pool.
During my time in Washington, D.C., I visited a public pool once, and I can assure you it won't be happening again. Central Park, while perhaps not perfect, is incomparably better than a pool.

Rivers, man-made lakes, even those little gravel pits—they’re easily the most dangerous spots if you're looking to go for a swim.
I'm an American, which is exactly why I've got their backs. 186 miles The beaches here aren't exactly filled with Olympic swimmers. Most people just paddle around in the shallows for a bit, splash around, and then head back to shore. You see plenty of women over 40 who can't really swim anything besides a basic breaststroke. Honestly, even the younger crowd struggles with it more often than you'd think.
The swimming area in that small town in the Midwest finally got fixed up, but it’s tiny and the mosquitoes are absolutely brutal. Honestly, the water quality just isn't there. It’s like trying to swim in a puddle when you're used to a real river; even a decent swimmer is going to struggle with this one.
Some people are probably gonna jump in and say we have no clue what else is floating around in that pool.😬)
I'll give you this one—you might actually be right.🤷

Grace Wood5 said:Especially if you show up around 6:00 AM. At that hour, you basically own the whole park. 🙂
I’ve never been much for sitting out in the blistering sun grilling food, so I usually head down early to find a spot in the shade or hit up a local pub for a beer or a soda.
That’s one of the reasons I never manage to get a decent summer tan. 😁

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I never actually went skinny dipping in Central Park during my twenties in Washington, D.C.🙈🙈I guess you could say I'm training for swimming. I hit the local pool every other day.
One more time.🙈

Is it actually clean enough?

Maria Booth96 said:It’s always summer, pretty much around the same time every single year.
I don't know, I think we could wrap this up way faster.
Look, I don't get it. If the outer lanes are backed up like a freeway during rush hour, why wouldn't they just open up the inner lanes too? It makes zero sense.
Simple and straightforward.🤷

Rivers, man-made lakes, even those little gravel pits—they’re easily the most dangerous spots if you're looking to go for a swim.
I'm an American, which is exactly why I've got their backs. 186 miles The beaches here aren't exactly filled with Olympic swimmers. Most people just paddle around in the shallows for a bit, splash around, and then head back to shore. You see plenty of women over 40 who can't really swim anything besides a basic breaststroke. Honestly, even the younger crowd struggles with it more often than you'd think.
The swimming area in that small town in the Midwest finally got fixed up, but it’s tiny and the mosquitoes are absolutely brutal. Honestly, the water quality just isn't there. It’s like trying to swim in a puddle when you're used to a real river; even a decent swimmer is going to struggle with this one.
Some people are probably gonna jump in and say we have no clue what else is floating around in that pool.😬)
I'll give you this one—you might actually be right.🤷

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I never actually went skinny dipping in Central Park during my twenties in Washington, D.C.🙈🙈I guess you could say I'm training for swimming. I hit the local pool every other day.
One more time.🙈

Is it actually clean enough?

I remember swimming at Central Park back when it was nothing more than a literal dirt patch. 🙂
Man, he almost sliced himself wide open from his chest down to his groin on that metal sheet while jumping into the water. Almost lost everything right there. 😂
That was a lifetime ago...

How clean it is? You’ll have to judge that for yourself—after all, it's the water you're drinking.
Look, the environment can only be kept so clean. The people working out there aren't magicians, and let's be honest—Washington, D.C. residents haven't exactly set the gold standard when it comes to actually taking care of the surroundings they enjoy. 😳

Grace Wood5 said:I remember swimming at Central Park back when it was nothing more than a literal dirt patch. 🙂
Man, he almost sliced himself wide open from his chest down to his groin on that metal sheet while jumping into the water. Almost lost everything right there. 😂
That was a lifetime ago...

How clean it is? You’ll have to judge that for yourself—after all, it's the water you're drinking.
Look, the environment can only be kept so clean. The people working out there aren't magicians, and let's be honest—Washington, D.C. residents haven't exactly set the gold standard when it comes to actually taking care of the surroundings they enjoy. 😳

Thanks. 🙂
I'll head over there specifically to check it out.
The spots near me by the Mississippi River aren't even worth a dip. It's more like a swamp.

Word is Milton Berle will fix it up one of these days, assuming he doesn't go broke first. 🙂

Maria Booth96 said:Thanks. 🙂
I'll head over there specifically to check it out.
The spots near me by the Mississippi River aren't even worth a dip. It's more like a swamp.

Word is Milton Berle will fix it up one of these days, assuming he doesn't go broke first. 🙂

Savica 😍 might be a fisherman's paradise, 🙂 but you can't swim there because they have to leave all that silt on the bottom to protect the food chain. Honestly, I’d probably jump in there myself if there was a public cold water hose within about 200 meters.
Even though they regularly dredge the bottom at Central Park, the water still gets murky whenever it's crowded. That hasn't been an issue much lately, but Washington, D.C. residents (who used to actually swim in the Mississippi River back in the day) are now terrified of anything that isn't practically sterile. 😵
It's not like it's a huge deal to just hop under a shower after swimming or splashing around to wash off those "deadly" amounts (maybe 2-3 micrograms😉) of silt from your skin.
Plus, it’s great (at least for us guys) for catching some attention. 😍
I remember once while showering, I caught some envious looks from women in their 30s—they were staring straight at my chest. 🙂
They couldn't figure out how mine hadn't sagged yet, especially since I'm almost twenty years older than them. :facanakvadrat: 😎

Maria Booth96 said:It’s always summer, pretty much around the same time every single year.
I don't know, I think we could wrap this up way faster.
Look, I don't get it. If the outer lanes are backed up like a freeway during rush hour, why wouldn't they just open up the inner lanes too? It makes zero sense.
Simple and straightforward.🤷

Rivers, man-made lakes, even those little gravel pits—they’re easily the most dangerous spots if you're looking to go for a swim.
I'm an American, which is exactly why I've got their backs. 186 miles The beaches here aren't exactly filled with Olympic swimmers. Most people just paddle around in the shallows for a bit, splash around, and then head back to shore. You see plenty of women over 40 who can't really swim anything besides a basic breaststroke. Honestly, even the younger crowd struggles with it more often than you'd think.
The swimming area in that small town in the Midwest finally got fixed up, but it’s tiny and the mosquitoes are absolutely brutal. Honestly, the water quality just isn't there. It’s like trying to swim in a puddle when you're used to a real river; even a decent swimmer is going to struggle with this one.
Some people are probably gonna jump in and say we have no clue what else is floating around in that pool.😬)
I'll give you this one—you might actually be right.🤷

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I never actually went skinny dipping in Central Park during my twenties in Washington, D.C.🙈🙈I guess you could say I'm training for swimming. I hit the local pool every other day.
One more time.🙈

Is it actually clean enough?

In my estimation, far more people drown because they lack swimming skills or because they jump directly into the ocean, a river, or a lake while overheated from the sun—causing instant cramps—rather than due to some extreme discrepancy between lake and sea conditions.
The exception would be rivers with sudden undertows, but such spots are quite rare in the US.
Furthermore, there have been plenty of instances where fatalities occurred even within the confines of a swimming pool.
Personally, the combination of a crowded pool and that overwhelming stench of chlorine is so repulsive to me that I would much rather swim in any random river, mosquitoes and all, than step foot in a public pool. Of course, that's different in the winter when you don't have much choice...
Up until a couple of years ago, the pool at the long bay location was actually great during the winter. You'd have maybe ten people inside and a few others in the sauna, and it was inexpensive... but then Bechtel and some firm from Miami that held the lease got into a massive legal dispute, creating total chaos. Those twenty of us who were enjoying the facilities were suddenly left without access to the pool or the sauna...
Now we are stuck with Peharec, which has a pathetic 3x4 meter pool, a little miniature setup in Medulin, and Diamond in Santa Monica.
I assume Lone in Key West probably has one too, but I imagine the entrance fee is roughly nine trillion dollars...

The pool over at the local park is falling apart. Construction stopped ages ago, and honestly, Mile knows the mayor doesn't give a damn anymore. It seems like his only real interest is patronizing the least educated parts of Washington, D.C., and even then, he mostly just does it verbally.😢

If you're looking to escape this heatwave—and let’s be honest, it is brutal—and if you're finding all the local pools are totally packed, feel free to swing by our island. We actually just earned a blue flag this year for water quality. 😁😁😁

We'll send Maria Booth96 over to you—on the condition that you don't try to return her.

William Gonzalez3 said:We'll send Maria Booth96 over to you—on the condition that you don't try to return her.

Don't worry, you're invited too. No need to act all shy and hover on the sidelines. 😍
As for Maria Booth96, if she wants to stay, she stays. If she doesn't, that's fine too. The main thing is just making sure everyone can cool off properly during these brutal summer days. 😁

Mind you, the island has such clear skies that wearing at least SPF 40+ is absolutely non-negotiable!

From what I can tell, they’re working on renovating the indoor pools...

So, what's the actual issue here? When exactly are they planning to get this done? Are we just supposed to wait until the dead of winter when everything freezes over?

Anthony James2 said:If you're looking to escape this heatwave—and let’s be honest, it is brutal—and if you're finding all the local pools are totally packed, feel free to swing by our island. We actually just earned a blue flag this year for water quality. 😁😁😁

Thanks, that's really kind of you to offer. But we’ve got plenty of options here too—a few rivers, some coastline, Lake Tahoe, and even some nice hot springs up in Appalachia.🙂