Pools Open For Memorial Day Swimming In Phoenix

PHOENIX, AZ — Memorial Day doesn’t just mark the unofficial start of summer in Phoenix — it’s also the weekend most outdoor pools and aquatic centers open their doors for summer swimming and other warm-weather fun.

Last year, summer looked a lot different for Phoenix families as many area pools remained closed for the season to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus — a pandemic that, at the time, was just two months old.

But this Memorial Day — with more than 120 million Americans fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and weekly COVID-19-related deaths at a 14-month low — many pools will once again open this summer.

All Phoenix city-owned pools are open from 9:45 a.m.-8 p.m., with open swim time blocks that run from noon-1:30 p.m., 2-3:30 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. All Phoenix pools are closed on Fridays through the end of July.

After that, the pools will operate on a weekend-only basis through Labor Day. More information on the city's pools and COVID-19 rules can be found here.

If you’re planning to soak up some sun this Memorial Day weekend, here are the pools and aquatic centers that will be open in Phoenix:

Cortez Pool, 3434 W. Dunlap Ave.

Deer Valley Pool, 19400 N. 19th Ave.

El Prado Pool, 6428 S. 19th Ave.

Encanto Pool, 2125 N. 15th Ave.

Falcon Pool, 3420 W. Roosevelt St.

Maryvale Pool, 4444 N. 51st Ave.

Paradise Valley Pool, 17648 N. 40th St.

Pecos Pool, 3131 E. Windsor Ave.

Starlight Pool, 7810 W. Osborn Road

Sunnyslope Pool, 301 W. Dunlap Ave.

University Pool, 1102 W. Van Buren St.

There is no scientific evidence that COVID-19 can spread to others through water in pools, hot tubs, water playgrounds or other treated aquatic venues, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

While no data exists on how COVID-19 responds to chlorine, the chemical has been known to inactivate similar viruses.

But going to a public pool involves more than swimming, and that’s where the risk can be found.

Assessing that out-of-water risk involves looking at several variables, according to MIT Medical, which suggest people should avoid the “three C’s” — closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby, and close-contact settings, such as close-range conversation.

Fortunately, being outdoors and in spaces with good ventilation also reduces the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, according to the CDC.