Pools Open, Closed For Memorial Day Swimming In Howard County

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Memorial Day doesn’t just mark the unofficial start of summer in Howard County — 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 Howard County 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.

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 Howard County:

Laurel Municipal Pool, 8103 Sandy Spring Road, Laurel: Due to COVID-19, the 2021 pool schedule has been altered. Both facilities will be closed between daily sessions. All patrons must exit the facility. No admission will be accepted until the start of the session, no exceptions. A separate admission fee is required for each session.

River Hill Pool, 6330 Trotter Road, Clarksville

Clemens Crossing Pool: 6400 Martin Road, Columbia

Roger Carter Community Center, 3000 Milltowne Drive, Ellicott City

Dickinson Pool, 7425 Weatherworn Way, Columbia

Dorsey Hall Pool, 4649 Columbia Road, Ellicott City

Hopewell Pool, 9200 Rustling Leaf, Columbia

Greenview Drive Pool Complex, 14403 Greenview Drive, Laurel

Huntington Pool, 7625 Murray Hill Road, Columbia

Hawthorne Pool, 6175 Sunny Spring, Columbia

Longfellow Pool, 5267 Eliot’s Oak Road, Columbia

Kendall Ridge Pool, 8245 Tamar Drive, Columbia

Running Brook Pool, 5730 Columbia Road, Columbia

Phelps Luck Pool, 5355 Phelps Luck Drive, Columbia

Thunder Hill Pool, 9205 Log Chain Road, Columbia

Swansfield Mini WaterPark, 5659 Cedar Lane, Columbia

Stevens Forest Pool, 6061 Stevens Forest Road, Columbia

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.