When Alexandria Pools Open For Summer 2021 Season

ALEXANDRIA, VA —Memorial Day doesn’t just mark the unofficial start of summer in Alexandria — 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 families as area pools remained closed or open with restrictions 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.

The city's Old Town Pool, Memorial Pool and Warwick Pool won't open until June 26. Until then, there are other options to cool off like Great Waves Waterpark over Memorial Day weekend and Potomac Yard Park Interactive Fountain daily starting Memorial Day weekend.

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 and around Alexandria. Check each pool's individual site for membership requirements, COVID-19 policies, and closings during private events and swim meets.

Warwick Pool, 3301 Landover St, Alexandria, VA 22305 (select times for free or lap swim)

• June 26 to Sept. 6
• Monday and Thursday: 1 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Old Town Pool, 1609 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (select times for free or lap swim)

• June 26 to Sept. 6
• Monday: 7 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.
• Tuesday and Thursday: 7 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.
• Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.
• Friday: 7 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Memorial Pool at Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (select times for open swim)

• Monday and Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Friday: 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

Great Waves Waterpark, 4001 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304

• May 29-Sept. 6
• May 29-31: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• June 1-23: closed
• June 24-Aug. 23: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
• Aug. 24-Sept. 3: weekends 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed weekdays
• Sept. 4-6: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Potomac Yard Park Interactive Fountain, 2501 Potomac Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301 (shoes required)

• May 29-Oct. 15
• May 29-Sept. 6: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
• Sept. 7-Oct. 15: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily

Bren Mar Recreation Association: 6324 Edsall Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 (membership only)

• May 29-Sept. 6
• Memorial Day weekend and June 5-6: 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• June 1-June 11: weekdays 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (first two hours reserved for lap swimming by reservation)
• June 12 through Labor Day weekend: 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily

Martin Luther King Jr. Pool: 8115 Fordson Road, Alexandria, VA 22306

• May 29-Sept. 6
• May 29: noon to 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Weekends only until June 12: noon to 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Stay tuned for more hours

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.

SEE ALSO: What's Open, Closed For Memorial Day 2021 In Alexandria