(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) The 50-meter pool at the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center will have shorter hours for several months for needed repairs.
The pool area will close at 8 p.m., about two hours early, on weekdays starting next Monday, Jan. 29 to replace leaky pipes and water-damaged ceiling tiles caused by a corroded sprinkler hose, the Arlington County Dept. Parks and Recreation said in a press release. Weekend hours will not be affected.
The faulty sprinkler and the damage it caused were discovered by the contracting company given the $60 million contract to design and build the facility in 2017, Coakley Williams Construction, the county says. Coakley Williams will handle all the maintenance work and pay for the repair costs.
After attending to the 50-meter pool, repairs to the leisure pool will begin in early April. Its temporary operating hours will be available at a later date.
All repairs should be complete by this summer, the county said.
Some classes held at the pool have shifted their schedules because of the repairs. Affected participants will receive emails with more details.
It’s not the first time infrastructure issues have troubled the $70.7 million recreation complex. Delays in installing electrical power caused a $1.2 million increase in construction costs for the facility, which opened in 2021. An electrical emergency then caused the center to close briefly last April.
More information from the press release is below.
Repair Schedule
The repair schedule will begin with the 50-meter pool area on January 29. For the duration of the 50-meter pool repairs, it will be closed to the public by 8 p.m.— two hours early on weekdays, and the current closing time on weekends. Crews will work at night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to allow for a maximum number of operating hours. Through the duration of each phase, the work area will be sectioned off to allow programming to take place in other parts of the pool. During the daytime, scaffolding equipment will remain in the areas being addressed to allow for quick transition to maintenance work once the pool is closed. The leisure pool will operate as normal until repairs begin in early April. Details of this schedule will be shared at a later date. All repairs to both pools are estimated to be complete by summer, 2024.
As repair work begins at 8 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, the fitness rooms will also continue to operate on a normal schedule.
Adjusted Programming and Operating Hours
Most Winter ENJOY and 55+ classes will continue this season. To accommodate as many programs as possible, some classes have been shifted to either a different time or pool area. Class cancellations have been limited and are only being instituted for those that cannot be moved. Participants who have signed up for Winter ENJOY and 55+ programs at LBAFC will receive direct emails that detail adjustments to their program and refund options if they choose to use them. Program adjustments for these classes will not begin until the first day of repair work on January 29.
All LBAFC membership and passholders, as well as daily passholders, may use open sections of the pool during the adjusted operating hours. To see when lanes are open for drop-in use, please refer to the pool hours and lane schedules page. The schedule is updated with the week’s programming schedule every Sunday.
We look forward to a speedy and efficient repair process and want to make sure you stay in the know! To get the latest information, sign up for updates at the bottom of the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center webpage.