Recent trends throughout the State and County indicate lower incidents of community spread and increased availability of vaccines prompted State health officials to authorize El Dorado County to move into the orange tier effective April 7th. Since the announcement, City staff have been busy recruiting and training staff and preparing the pool for safe operations under the California Department of Public Health Guidelines for Indoor Pools. As of April 26, 2021, the Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to announce the re-opening of the City pool for the first time since November 2020!
A variety of pool programs will roll out within the first two weeks of operations with the goal of expanding hours and offerings as resources allow. The initial programs include lap swim, water exercise, and swim team training (both High School and Tahoe Swim Club). Each activity is subject to a reservation to allow patrons enough time to swim while maintaining social distancing. Time is scheduled between each reservation for staff to disinfect the facility. Although the process is more time and labor-intensive, staff and patrons alike are thrilled to see each other and share the benefits of aquatic exercise once again. To reserve your swim session please visit here.
Patrons will be pleased to know the pool is clean and pristine after the prolonged closure. During the closure, the City’s Facility Department took the opportunity to perform a thorough inspection and conducted necessary maintenance and repair of critical equipment and infrastructure. The pool was drained and resurfaced, lines repainted, pump replaced, and electrical inspected. Built in 1975, some pool infrastructure was found to be at or near failing including the wiring for the pool lights and pully system for the pool dome removal. As a result, after 40 years of removing the pool dome every summer, the dome will need to stay in place this summer due to the high-risk nature of dome removal following the failure of the critical infrastructure needed to hoist the dome on and off. To mitigate the build-up of heat and moisture as outside temperatures rise, the City will be installing vents in the dome to improve air circulation. The vents will be installed at the end of May and may require an interruption in pool programs for a day or two.
In the meantime, the new recreation and aquatics center is taking shape and the public can follow the process on the project website here. The existing facility is anticipated to stay open during the construction of the new facility so as not to interrupt recreation programs (outside of a global pandemic). The department does plan on rolling out additional recreation amenities within the Recreation Complex as conditions permit. To learn more, go here.