The following 15 outdoor pools will open for the 2021 season:

• Clemens Crossing (CCP) 
• Dickinson (DIP)
• Dorsey Hall (DHP) 
• Hawthorn (HAP)
• Hobbit’s Glen (HGP) 
• Hopewell Mini WaterPark (HWP)
• Huntington (HUP) 
• Kendall Ridge (KRP) 
• Longfellow (LFP)
• Phelps Luck (PLP) 
• River Hill (RHP) 
• Running Brook (RBP)
• Steven’s Forest (SFP)  
• Swansfield Mini Water Park (SWP)
• Thunder Hill (THP) 

The following eight pools will not open this summer:

• Bryant Woods (BWP) 
• Clary’s Forest (CFP)  
• Dasher Green (DGP) 
• Faulkner Ridge (FRP) 
• Jeffers Hill (JHP)
• Locust Park (LPP) 
• MacGill’s Common (MCP)
• Talbott Springs (TSP)

To find the CA pool closest to you this summer, check out this map.

To learn more about the decision to open 15 pools, read this article about the FY 2022 budget proposal. Those recommendations were approved by the Board of Directors on February 25.

Decisions regarding the FY 2022 budget and the outdoor pools only apply to the upcoming fiscal year. That means there have been no decisions on permanently closing any facility. The financial climate makes it necessary for us to make some tough choices this year, and as the economy continues to change, we will have more conversations in the years to come.

The outdoor pool season runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. There will be no extended lap swim season this summer. We are still working on daily schedules for each pool, so check back for those details.

CA will provide the same programming as before, ranging from lessons to aqua fitness classes to swim leagues. Program schedules for your neighborhood pool will be released closer to the pools opening date.

We are excited for the return of Columbia Neighborhood Swim League (CNSL) this summer! Registration begins on May 3. It is important to remember that swimmers will have to adjust based on county and state COVID-19 guidelines. Currently, that means no pep rallies or charity nights, virtual meets and restrictions on who can attend practices and meets. We will continue to release more information as it becomes available. 

Registration for daily Lap and Recreation Swim will be split into 90-minute blocks with 30 minutes in between each session for cleaning. The facility will be cleared between every swim block, and no members will be allowed to remain inside the pool area in between those sessions. Here’s an example of how that schedule might look:

11:30am-1pm – Swim Block 1

1-1:30pm – Cleaning

1:30-3pm – Swim Block 2

3-3:30pm – Cleaning

3:30-5pm – Swim Block 3

5-5:30pm – Cleaning

5:30-7pm – Swim Block 4

7-7:30pm – Cleaning & Close

Play, Fit&Play and Golf Fit&Play members and Columbia Card holders can register up to 10 days in advance from the activity start time. Guests and non-residents will only be permitted into the pool if space is available after all members and Columbia Card holders have checked in (including those without reservations).

Our Aquatics team is working to finalize schedules for Lap Swim, Rec Swim, lessons and the CNSL. Be the first to know about those schedules by signing up for our CA Swim newsletter and following CA Swim on Facebook and Twitter.

Your health and safety are our top priority, so this summer will look different than what you’ve experienced in years past. This could mean mask requirements and ongoing capacity limits, as well as cleaning protocol and safety measures for our team members. 

CA continues to monitor capacity limits, case numbers, vaccination rates and guidelines from health experts. We will take all available information to make the best possible decisions for our community as we get closer to reopening the pools.

With capacity limits, it will be necessary for us to control the number of guests and team members at each pool at any given time.  Reservations will not be required, but they will be highly encouraged and the only way to guarantee a spot at your neighborhood pool. Drop-in visitors will only be able to enter the pool if there is space available.

Play, Fit&Play and Golf Fit&Play members and Columbia Card holders will be able to register up to 10 days in advance from the activity start time. 

We are working to solidify the reservation process, but in the meantime, we encourage you to check your online account with CA and make sure the information is up to date. 

Don’t have a Spectrum NG account? Contact our Customer and Member Services Center at CMSC@ColumbiaAssociation.org or 401-715-3000.

We ask members to limit to one reservation per day. We are still considering the best schedules for that system, but we want to ensure everyone has an opportunity to enjoy the pools.

Guests and non-members are welcome, but the reservation system will not allow those individuals to book a spot ahead of time. Guests and non-members will be able to pay or use a guest pass to enter the pool day of, only if space is available. That means guests and non-members must wait until all members and Columbia Card holders have checked in. Then, CA team members will check attendance, evaluate the additional capacity and admit the appropriate number of additional people.

Those with access to the reservation system (members and Columbia Card holders) will be able to see how many spots are still available during any given time block, giving them the ability to gage if there is space available for guests during their scheduled time.

Restrooms will be open, but we ask everyone to limit their time in those shared spaces by coming to the pool in their swim attire and showering at home.

Snack bars will no longer be open at the outdoor pools, but you are welcome to bring your own food and drink into the pool facilities (no glass containers or alcohol). Plus, the Aquatics team is working closely with Open Space to allow for food trucks to make regular stops by pool locations as an option to support local business.

To limit shared surfaces, CA will not provide any lawn chairs. Please be prepared to bring your own chairs and/or towels to use while at the pool.

Play, Fit&Play and Golf Fit&Play members enjoy unlimited access to any CA-operated pool. Columbia Card holders receive a discounted daily rate and a pre-registration discount for reserving a block online.

All other guests will need to pay a daily admission fee and will not have the ability to reserve their spot ahead of time. Refer to the information about guests admission for more on that process.

Contact our Facility Membership team at 410-730-1801 for more information on membership opportunities and Columbia Card information.

CA is actively looking to fill about 100 lifeguard positions. These team members are essential to opening our pools this summer. If you’re interested in applying, visit the Aquatics hiring page for more information.