The closure of the Tom Taylor YMCA aquatic center will no doubt be a fork in the road for early summer 2023 in Gig Harbor for some families. However, it will be a refresher for the community when it reopens later in June. 

In addition to the new roof installed over the pool area, the building will experience a bit of remodeling to the roof over the time of closing, said to be scheduled for May 8th to June 26th. The vice president and chief marketing officer of YMCA’s in Pierce and Kitsap county said changes needed to be made. “The original design made it difficult for air to escape. That’s why it was just a little bit steamier there than it would be in other places. We’re basically modernizing it so that it is no longer an issue.” 

Over the period of closure, there will be other options around town. For instance, Camp Seymore (located at 9725 Cramer Rd NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98329) has allowed access to its gorgeous outdoor swimming area. Also, Peninsula and Gig Harbor High School have partnered with the YMCA to allow people to swim at their pools on Saturday and Sunday, starting May 20th. To have access to these options, you need to register here.

With all this being said, Smith would add, “It’ll just look a lot nicer when it’s done,” in addition to better airflow in the swimming area. “At the end of the rainbow, it’s going to be a lot better,” Smith stated. With the roof never being remodeled until now, the modifications will also impact the curriculums at the Y. While they’re at it, the YMCA promises the community that the new roof will make safety improvements and slowly reduce the windows’ glare. 

Sources:

Dice, V. (2023c, May 10). Gig Harbor YMCA pool closed May 8-June 26. Gig Harbor Now. https://www.gigharbornow.org/news/arts-entertainment/gig-harbor-ymca-pool-closed-from-may-8-through-june-26/