Mayor Bowser Celebrates Start of Outdoor Pool Season and DC Being Named #1 Park System for the Fifth Consecutive Year

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) upheld the tradition of launching outdoor pool season in the District with the annual Jump In, DC event. This lively celebration featured free food, music, swimming, and other fun activities for community members and children, marking the official start of the 2025 outdoor pool season. Mayor Bowser and DPR also celebrated DC being recognized as the top park system in the United States by the Trust for Public Land for the fifth consecutive year.  

“In DC, summer means coming together in our parks, pools, and spray parks,” said Mayor Bowser. “We’re proud to offer safe, free, and fun spaces for everyone to stay active, connect with neighbors, and beat the heat. With our fifth consecutive #1 ranking as the best park system in the country, we’re showing the nation what it looks like when you invest in world-class public spaces.” 

Starting Saturday, May 24, DPR will open 21 outdoor pools and 34 spray parks throughout the District. Outdoor pools and spray parks will be open Saturday, May 24, Sunday, May 25, and Memorial Day, May 26, from 10 am to 6 pm Outdoor pools and spray parks will then operate on a weekend-only schedule through Sunday, June 22. Starting Monday, June 23, all full-service outdoor pools will operate six days a week. Starting Monday, June 23, spray parks will operate daily from 10 am to 6 pm, with the exception of weekly service for certain spray parks with recirculating water systems. For more information on DPR’s outdoor pools and spray parks, visit dpr.dc.gov/outdoorpools or dpr.dc.gov/sprayparks. 

As it did last year, DPR will operate a webpage this season that provides real-time updates about emergency closures and outdoor pools that have reached capacity, at which time a one-in, one-out rule is implemented. Residents can view real-time outdoor pool and splash park information at DPRsplash.splashthat.com.   

“The opening of outdoor pools and spray parks is a true celebration of summer in the District,” said DPR Director Thennie Freeman. “Just as we are excited about being recognized as having the #1 park system in the nation for the fifth year in a row, we are also excited for another season of providing safe, vibrant spaces where families can make memorable moments and enjoy all the joy that summer has to offer.”

For the fifth consecutive year, Washington, DC was named the number-one-ranked park system in the United States by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), which found that 21 percent of land in the District of Columbia is reserved for parks, among the highest in the United States. The District also scored well on TPL’s park access metric, as more than 99 percent of District residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. 

Improvements coming to DPR facilities will impact pool and splash park operations at the following locations and dates: 

• Douglass Pool (1921 Frederick Douglass Court, SE) – Closed for summer 2025 
  • Douglass Community Center and Pool is currently closed while a capital project is underway to build a new facility and park.  
• Kelly Miller Pool (4900 Brooks Street, NE) – Closed until June 23, 2025 
  • Kelly Miller Pool will open for the summer on Monday, June 23, 2025, while upgrades to the driveway and sidewalk continue to bring the site into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  
• Fort Davis Splash Park (1400 41st Street, SE) – Closed for summer 2025 
  • Fort Davis Community Center and site will close starting on June 2, 2025, for demolition and rebuilding, including the splash park. The splash park will not open in 2025.  

Indoor aquatic center operations for the summer will also be adjusted: 

• After the close of the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) school year, beginning on June 23, Marie Reed Aquatic Center will be open during the day, from 6 am to 9 pm, Monday through Friday. 
• The following DCPS schools will close for the summer with the final day of operations on Wednesday, June 18: Roosevelt Aquatic Center, Dunbar Aquatic Center, and Ballou Aquatic Center. 
• Marie Reed Aquatic Center, Reservoir Park Aquatic Center, and Ferebee-Hope Aquatic Center will be closed Friday, May 23 – Saturday, May 24, 2025.  

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