Pools Open For Memorial Day Swimming In Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Memorial Day doesn’t just mark the unofficial start of summer in Scottsdale — 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 Scottsdale 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 four of the city's pools will be open to the public at some point over 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 Scottsdale:

Cactus Aquatic & Fitness Center, 7202 E. Cactus Rd.

Pool closed Saturday and Sunday, open from 2-5 p.m. Monday.

Eldorado Aquatic & Fitness Center, 2301 N. Miller Rd.

Pool open 8 a.m-1 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday, open 8 a.m.-noon Monday.

McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic and Fitness Center, 15525 N. Thompson Peak Parkway

Pool open 1-5 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday, open 1-5 p.m. Monday

Chaparral Aquatic Center, 5445 N. Hayden Rd.

Closed Saturday and Sunday, open 8 a.m.-noon Monday.

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.