Spokane Valley pools and Splash Down gear up for warm-weather crowds

Sat., June 8, 2013

By Nina Culver nculver47@gmail.com

Ready to swim?

• Park Road Pool, 906 N. Park Road: Open June 15 to Aug. 18. Open swim from 1 to 4:30 p.m. daily and from 5 to 8 p.m. every day except Wednesday. (509) 926-1840.

• Valley Mission Pool, 11123 E. Mission Ave.: Open June 15 to Aug. 24. Open swim from 1 to 4:30 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. daily. There will be no evening open swim sessions Monday through Thursday from June 24-Aug. 5. (509) 922-7091.

• Terrace View Pool, 13525 E. 24th Ave.: Open June 15 to Sept. 2. Open swim 1 to 4:30 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. daily. There will be no evening open swim Monday through Thursday from Aug. 8 to Sept. 2. (509) 924-4707.

• Splash Down Waterpark, 11127 E. Mission Ave.: Open Wednesday to Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays, weather permitting. Later hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (509) 924-3079

With temperatures rising and schools closing, it’s time for swimming.

All three Spokane Valley pools will open for business next Saturday. Splash Down Waterpark is already open on weekends and will be open daily beginning Wednesday.

There are no major changes at Spokane Valley pools this season, but parents will be able to purchase swim goggles, ear plugs and swim diapers at the pools. “Those are the things people ask about,” said recreation coordinator Jennifer Papich.

The goggles will cost $6; ear plugs and swim diapers will cost $2.

All the pools now have lifts to allow patrons with disabilities to get in and out of the pool, which is a new requirement under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Terrace View Pool is also sporting a fresh coat of paint.

The popular water exercise class that was offered two days a week last year at Terrace View has expanded. It is offered from 12:05 to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday for $1 per session. “The people at Terrace View really, really liked that,” Papich said.

Splash Down has started a new daily special that offers admission from 4 to 6 p.m. daily for $8. Regular admission is $16.99 per day for those taller than 48 inches and $12.99 a day for those shorter than 48 inches. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays, weather permitting.

The water park is open late on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Family night is from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and there is live music from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Admission to the evening sessions is $9 per person. “We put in a few little opportunities for people to come in and have some fun at a discounted price, said owner Melissa Kellogg.

There have been some small price increases at Spokane Valley pools. The cost of lessons has gone up $5 to $35 and the cost of joining a swim team is up $5 to $45. The prices are still lower than those charged by the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Papich said.

The cost of an open swim session remains $1 and on weekends, one child age 12 or younger is admitted free with each paying adult. Papich said there has never been a discussion about raising the rates. “I think they really want to make sure swimming is affordable to everyone,” she said. “That’s never been considered a moneymaker. It’s not unusual for that to be subsidized.”

Swim passes are available for $20 for 25 visits. Swim pass scholarships for low-income families are available through Spokane Valley Partners. Papich said the city also offers a 50 percent discount on lessons for children on free and reduced lunch at local schools.

There are four swim lesson sessions at all three pools during the summer. Classes are June 24-July 3, July 8-18, July 22-Aug. 1, and Aug. 5-15. There is a fifth session Aug. 19-29 at Terrace View. Morning and evening sessions are available for children age 3 and older.

Parents must register their children in person at the pool where they want to take lessons. Registration opens on the Friday 10 days before each session’s start date. For more details on class times, visit www.spokanevalley.org and click on the parks/pools link.