Take a look inside the bubble at Tri-Cities’ first ‘next level’ domed pool
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tri-Cities teams gain local seasonal domed training in Pasco.
- City installed 38-foot by 113-foot by 200-foot inflatable dome in $2M upgrade.
- Public schedule offers free ribbon-cut swim. Lessons and lap hours planned
For years high school swim teams from the Tri-Cities have had to drive all over central Washington to find a pool to practice in. Often they would return home late at night, even in winter.
This season marked the beginning of an exciting new era. Now teams only have to drive across town.
Mitch Piper stood inside Pasco’s new Memorial Pool bubble dome, lifting his arms to demonstrate proper diving form as a high school swimmer took note, balancing on a diving board.
Piper is the combined Richland and Hanford high school boys dive coach.
He called it “nothing short of amazing” to now have a local place for practice and competitions.
His team has been diving and flipping inside the bubble since the third week of November.
“It’s probably the nicest and biggest indoor bubble I’ve been in,” he said.
“This is a huge benefit to the swimming world and to the public.”
Open swim and lessons
Now the new indoor facility finally has an opening date on deck for the public. And there’s a chance to test the waters for yourself at a free community event coming up.
There is a free hour of swimming at Memorial Pool on Wednesday, Jan. 28 from 2-3 p.m., following a ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m. at 1520 W. Shoshone St., Pasco.
The pool is a new year-round, indoor option while the Pasco Aquatic Center on the west end of town is being built. It’s already been in use by several Tri-Cities high school swim teams and other swim clubs for practice and competitions.
Youth swim lessons will take place Feb. 2-25 and March 2-25. Classes are offered Monday and Wednesday nights or Tuesday and Thursday nights for 30-minute lessons. The cost for each month-long session ranges from $43.75 for non-residents, $35 for Pasco residents or $7 for people who qualify for financial assistance. Children are grouped with instructors at a ratio of 5:1. More information is available at pasco-wa.gov/505/Aquatics.
Open swim hours are Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1-4 p.m. There will be lap lanes available for use during open swim. Admission is $3 for children and seniors and $5 for adults.
Dome setup
In November, the city installed the bubble dome over the Olympic-sized pool at the facility.
The bubble cover was part of a $2 million project to improve the Pasco facility. The city also completed work on the pool clubhouse, adding a new roof, insulation, and heating and cooling.
Money for the project came from Limited Tax General Obligation bonds, Real Estate Excise Tax funds and a $100,000 contribution from the Pasco School District. The bubble is 38-feet high, 113-feet wide and 200-feet long and features a skylight.
The dome – a project seven years in the making – will be up from September to March each year.
Pasco School District boys swim and dive head coach Jason Hart called it “an amazing facility.”
“For the last several years, the Pasco School District would swim at Kia Ora (Fitness in Kennewick) in this tiny pool and pay a lot of money to get in there and do that. Now we have a facility of our own in Pasco,” Hart said.
“What this is going to do for the community as far as swim lessons and aquatic safety is next level.”
Warm air keeps the dome inflated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and keeps circulating through vents.
The pool is heated to a comfortable 80 degrees, and city staff said the air inside the dome will likely stay around the same temperature.
Leading up to colder months, the cover gets inflated and attaches to the pool’s foundation. Before summer, it’s deflated, removed and stored.
There will be short closures — up to two weeks — each fall and spring to prepare the cover for the next season. The city will also complete maintenance during closures.
There are also plans for lifeguard classes and programs like scuba.
