After nearly 20 years without a public pool in East Yakima, the City of Yakima celebrated the grand opening of the Aquatic Center at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in June 2025. The vibrant facility was shaped by grassroots advocacy and public-private collaboration. The site, formerly Washington Park, once hosted a beloved pool that closed in 2006. The dream to restore outdoor aquatics access began in 2017 and culminated in a $9.75 million project supported by the city, Yakima County, the Washington State Legislature and generous donors. Even local children contributed over $800 in spare change.
The center blends recreation, safety and innovation. It features two lifestyle pools, a 5,300-square-foot pool building and attractions for all ages. Highlights include zero-depth entry, geysers, waterfalls, lap lanes, basketball hoops, a Mini Ninja obstacle course, an AquaClimb climbing wall and the thrilling Aqua Zip’n rope swing. A slide complex adds even more fun.
Prioritizing accessibility, the center offers swim lessons, water safety classes, shaded seating and gathering spaces, creating a welcoming place where memories are made and lives enriched.
Architect of Record
NAC Architecture
Spokane, Wash.
Aquatics Consultant/Engineer
Water Technology Inc.
Beaver Dam, Wis.
Landscape Architect
Michael Terrell Landscape Architecture
Liberty Lake Wash.
Suppliers
Betsy Price Community Center