The Palm Desert Aquatic Center, which has been closed since November for a $4 million project to resolve issues with its filtration system, is slated to fully reopen in time for Memorial Day, following delays in getting new equipment for the facility.
The city was originally aiming to reopen the swim center earlier this year, with the lap pool — which has been closed longer than the rest of the facility — slated to reopen by early February. That timeline was then pushed back to April, when the city found the pool systems needed additional adjustments before opening.
The center’s lap pool opened this week, while its water park features are slated to begin operating on Sunday, May 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
The entire facility, including its recreational pool, is expected to open Saturday, May 23, a couple days before Memorial Day. Over the holiday weekend, lap swimming and water exercises will be available from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and water park features will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The swim center’s lap pool has been closed since last fall due to filtration issues causing cloudy swimming water that forced intermittent closures in summer 2025, while the rest of the facility was closed in mid-November for the broader project.
The pumps and filtration system that have been replaced were installed in 2011 when the facility first opened.
“Over time, regular wear, extreme weather, and aging materials, particularly damaged fiberglass seals around the filter tanks, have compromised the system’s ability to maintain clear water,” the city said last year.
In recent years, the city council has also approved a couple rounds of fee hikes at the aquatic center, with the latest increases taking effect in July 2025. The fee hikes — which are part of a five-year plan to raise admission costs — emerged as Palm Desert has gradually spent more from its general fund on the facility since it opened in 2011.
The upgraded swim center is not the only aquatic amenity coming soon to Palm Desert. DSRT Surf, a development featuring a 5.5-acre surf lagoon at Desert Willow Golf Resort, is expected to open this summer, though a grand opening date has not yet been announced.
Tom Coulter covers local government and politics for The Desert Sun. Reach him at tcoulter@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Desert Aquatic Center to reopen by Memorial Day weekend
Reporting by Tom Coulter, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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