Delayed Opening of Montavilla Pool

Montavilla Pool will not open on June 20th alongside Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) other outdoor pools. The seasonal public swimming facility requires the fabrication and installation of a new pool drain cover to meet federal safety compliance for pools and spas. The pool has been closed to the public since August 25th, 2023, when a young swimmer was found unresponsive in the pool and later died. Aquatic maintenance staff could not complete upgrades earlier due to an ongoing independent safety review instigated by last summer’s tragedy. The incident was PP&R’s first fatal drowning in nearly 40 years.

*_{Drain cover crews will replaced seen in lower right}*

Work at the site will require an excavator and other heavy machinery to open up the pool’s concrete base, exposing the plumbing to maintenance staff. The contractor expects to complete the work at Montavilla Pool on or before July 22nd, 2024. The 2024 pool season concludes on August 23rd for all outdoor swim facilities, so this delay truncates Montavilla Pool’s available class capacity. People who have already registered for a Summer Session 1 lesson from July 1st to 12th can participate in the East Portland Community Center (EPCC) programs. Registrants could also receive a full refund if EPCC is not a suitable alternative. Montavilla Pool staff will temporarily transfer to EPCC pool to assist customers who have signed up for swim lessons and summer swim team activities at Montavilla and have shifted locations during the construction closure.

PP&R will launch a new Safe Swim hub on June 17th, featuring swim safety resources for indoor and outdoor swimmers. Parks leadership expressed a commitment to making the future swimming season safer through equipment upgrades and education. If crews complete pool construction before July 22nd, Montavilla News will update this article.