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Residents and athletes urge Kennewick council to prioritize new public pool; council voices support but takes no formal action
Summary
Multiple residents, coaches and high school swimmers told the Kennewick City Council on July 1 that the city needs a new municipal aquatic facility. Council members expressed strong interest in prioritizing a pool, with several saying funding would require taxes or bonding; no formal motion or funding decision was taken.
During public comment at the Kennewick City Council meeting on July 1, 2025, parents, swim coaches, high school athletes and longtime residents urged the council to build or accelerate plans for a new city-owned aquatic facility. Speakers described limited local pool capacity, impacts on swim teams and lessons, and economic opportunities associated with larger competitive venues.
Shalisa Tippett, who identified herself as working with Kennewick and supporting the Kennewick Lions and as a swim instructor and parent, said the city lacks adequate indoor pool capacity for lessons, exercise and teen practice. Tippett compared Kennewick’s facilities to nearby cities, saying Bothell (48,000 population in 2020) has three pools while Kennewick (83,000 in 2020, as cited by the speaker) effectively has one working pool and another “on its last leg.” She said the community needs at least one pool for recreation, one for lessons and one for adult exercise.
Randy Willis, a longtime resident and former coach, urged the city to consider a larger indoor competitive facility, saying the King County Aquatic Center generates about "100,000 hotel nights a year" for competitive events and that Kennewick could attract repeat visitors with the right venue. Eileen Fritz, a Southbridge High senior and member of that school’s swim team, said swimming is important to her health and mental well-being and stressed that student athletes need local practice facilities.
Councilmembers responded during the council comment period. Councilmember Anderson thanked the swimmers and said the council should make a new pool a priority “ASAP,” noting work already underway to replace or repair existing facilities. Councilmember Chambo acknowledged citizens’ concerns and reminded the public that building a pool requires funding, either through taxes or other measures that ask taxpayers to provide new revenue.
No formal motion or vote on a pool project was taken at the meeting. Council discussion indicated political attention to the issue and an intent to consider options, but staff or council did not announce a specific funding plan or timeline during the session.
Quoted details in this report come from speakers during public comment and subsequent council remarks; where population or facility counts were cited by public speakers, those figures are reported as stated by the speakers.
