SplashForward

03/12/2025

Last week, we held our 💦Youth Ambassador Committee Kick-Off meeting, where we discussed upcoming events such as water safety lessons for 5th graders, park pop-ups, and our Youth Ambassador Workshop. The committee also broke into small groups to brainstorm ideas and set goals for the year. It was an inspiring and productive session, with everyone excited to get started.

We’re looking forward to making a positive impact in our community!💙💦

✨Join us—there are many ways to get involved, and there is a spot for everyone on the committee! Together, we can make a real difference in our community. Your participation is wanted and greatly appreciated so let us know if you’re interested!

👉Sign Up! https://bit.ly/3YDSFcY

If you are heading to the Bellevue Youth Involvement Conference, stop by and say hello!👋

💙💦

03/10/2025

It’s time to think about your summer lifeguard plans! The City of Kirkland is hiring now. Lifeguard certification and swim instructor training is provided and paid for by the city.

We are soon to announce our Student Lifeguard Workshops for middle and high school students where you can learn more about becoming a lifeguard and swim instructor!

2025 Aquatics Hiring
🌊Join Our 2025 Summer Aquatics Team! 🌞

Are you ready to spend your summer outdoors, make a positive impact, and be part of a community that loves its pool and waterfront beaches? The City of Kirkland is hiring for our 2025 Summer Aquatics Team at the Peter Kirk Pool and three beautiful beaches (Houghton, Waverly, and Juanita Beaches).

🔹Pool & Waterfront Lifeguards
First-year lifeguards will work at the pool, while second-year and experienced lifeguards will have the chance to work at our stunning waterfront beaches. Lifeguarding is a rewarding role where you ensure the safety and enjoyment of swimmers in a fun, active environment!

🔹Swim Lesson Instructors
Looking for a great first job? Become a swim instructor! You'll receive paid training, gain valuable skills, and help promote water safety in the community.

Don't miss the chance to be part of our awesome team! To see all available Summer Season job postings, visit 👉 https://www.kirklandwa.gov/ParksJobs

03/10/2025

At last week’s Kirkland City Council Meeting, the City explored options to invest in and expand year round aquatic programs at the 💦Peter Kirk Pool. A recently completed Assessment and Feasibility Study shared short and long term ‘necessary’ improvements to keep Peter Kirk Pool operable, safe, and meeting ADA standards ($4.3M total). The winterization options included…

💦A permanent covered structure with operable roof openings ($20.2)
💦A less expensive permanent option ($10.8M)
💦 A third low cost winter only covered option ‘the bubble’ for just the main pool ($7M)
🏊‍♀️Upsizing the tiny existing wading pool to an Activity pool that expands swim lessons, adult classes, and recreation was also included in the study ($4M)
🚿 Expanding and enhancing the bathhouse ($2M)

👏Hats off to Schemata Workshop & Counsilman Hunsaker on the thorough assessment and study.

No decisions were made. The city council shared their feedback on preferred options for further consideration and costing. About $3.7M exists in the current city budget with plans to apply for grants and a State funding request of $.5M.

💦SPLASHForward has supported the City with exploring a new year round Community Aquatic Center after the failed November’23 ballot measure. Our efforts have included partnering with the City, LWSD, and WAVE Aquatics to develop a vision that expands facility and programs to meet the demand for aquatics and integrates with the existing facilities in Kirkland like Peter Kirk Pool and Juanita HS Pool. Our Every 2nd Grader Learns to Swim Program grew out of this effort. Our report was included in the council packet and included input for Peter Kirk Pool winterization.

💦SPLASHForward provided public comment encouraging the city to consider an investment at Peter Kirk Pool that would fit in with a new Community Aquatic Center and the programming opportunities it would provide to meet swim lesson, lap swimming, adult and active senior programming, and competitive swim demands. Noting that partnerships must be taken into account. We also can help the city with additional programming and use analysis!🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️💙💦

One thread ran through individual City Council member’s comments. They wanted to know how much they can afford to invest given competing city needs and a desire to fully enclose Peter Kirk Pool with the most costly option. Parks staff will come back with a more detailed proposal.

👉Learn More by reading the council packet and listening to the presentation and discussion (1:07:15 timestamp)
https://bit.ly/3DtooqA

We will keep you updated. Please reach out with questions and feedback [email protected]

03/09/2025

🌸💜Happy International Women's Day!💜🌸 Today, we celebrate ALL WOMEN connected to water – from water lovers💙💦 to instructors,🛟lifeguards, water safety pioneers, athletes🏊🤽🏄‍♀️🚣‍♀️, coaches, aquatic managers, kayakers, boaters, paddleboarders, coast guard women, and every way they show up around water.

We learn from you, are inspired by you, and aim to create spaces and programs that empower women to build their dreams, boost confidence, break barriers, and lead others to enjoy the water.

Let's keep showing up, leading with strength, and chasing our goals!💙💦

03/02/2025

💙💦 Meet Hailey, one of SPLASHForward’s incredible Youth Ambassadors!💙💦

Hailey is passionate about water safety🛟, swim education🏊‍♀️, youth leadership🗣️, and giving back to her community💙💦. As a Youth Ambassador and Co-Chair of our Youth Ambassador Committee, she helps spread awareness about the importance of equitable access to aquatics and the life-changing opportunities aquatics provide. Youth perspective and input are important to our efforts and so is creating opportunities for youth to grow advocacy and civics skills.

💦Interested in being a Youth Ambassador?
👉Join us on WEDNESDAY, March 5th at 4 pm at Bellevue City Hall for our Youth Ambassador Committee Kick-Off Meeting.

👉LEARN more (https://bit.ly/3YDSFcY) and DONATE today!

03/02/2025

Our SPLASHForward Friday Night Teen Lifeguard Development Training did a quick pivot last night. With a pool emergency before the class that closed the pool, we held a ‘dry’ class. We covered the prerequisites, what to expect with certification training, and orientation to ‘the brick’, ‘the lifeguarding tube’, and techniques to practice.

🛟Our next class is March 28th at the Bellevue Aquatic Center.
👉Register https://bit.ly/3ESViBf

Hats off to the on duty City of Bellevue lifeguards that safely handled the emergency and whose training was put to the test.

02/27/2025

Are you in high school, passionate about aquatics🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️🤽‍♀️🤽‍♂️🛟💙💦, and looking for ways to use your voice🗣? Come get involved with our youth-led SPLASHForward Youth Ambassador Committee next Wednesday afternoon. We're holding our kick-off meeting and will introduce you to our Committee leaders, teams, and goals for 2025.

💦Wednesday, March 5th at 4pm
💦Bellevue City Hall

Together, we'll generate plans for community outreach, legislative awareness and support, water safety education, and workshops to support youth ambassadors.

Our Youth Ambassador Workshops will teach the core components of organizing, civic engagement, and leadership through the lens of aquatics and public infrastructure advocacy🗣. Our goal is to cultivate youth ambassadors who bring student voices to SPLASHForward's efforts and create opportunities for students to grow advocacy skills through a wide range of roles.

Questions? [email protected]

02/24/2025

🎉Congratulations to all of the High School Boys Swim & Dive participants who competed at the State meet this past week and weekend!

🥇4A Champions – Issaquah HS – 1st title in State History
🥇3A Champions – Bellevue HS
🥇2A/1A Champions – Bainbridge HS

The State meet is held at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center (WKCAC) in Federal Way built for the 1990 Goodwill Games with a 2,500 spectator capacity. It is one of the nation’s busiest competition facilities hosting over 50 events annually including local, national and international swimming, diving, artistic swimming, and water polo events.

💦The 2025 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships will be held here March 19-22.

WKCAC includes…
💦A configurable 8-lane 50m pool with two moveable bulkheads
💦A 6-lane 25yd deep water pool with 2x1m and 2x3m diving springboards, 3m, 5m, 7.5m, and 10m diving platforms.
💦A recreational pool
💦An event banquet hall

It was funded with $5 million from the Seattle Goodwill Games Committee and a King County $8.8 million bond.

💦The new Bellevue Aquatic Center will be a regional aquatic facility serving local events with a smaller event capacity at 720 participants and 900 spectators. It will serve as a relief valve for local events that are often unable to be held at WKCAC due to scheduling and cost. It will include...
💦 A configurable 10-lane 50m competition pool with two moveable bulkheads
💦Avseparate 6-lane 25yd deep water tank
💦An 8-10 lane program/teaching pool
💦A recreational pool
💦A warm water therapy pool and spa
💦Its economic impact is estimated to be over $26 million annually.
Learn more in our Ripple Effects story - https://bit.ly/3D52hSA

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02/21/2025

💦💙 Why do families support SPLASHForward?💦💙

At SPLASHForward, we want to create healthier, happier, and safer communities where everyone can confidently enjoy the water and build community!

Your support helps us:
✅ Build the new Bellevue Aquatic Center
✅ Teach lifesaving water safety skills
✅ Empower teens through job opportunities in aquatics
✅ Bring families together through a shared love of water

Together, we’re shaping a safer, healthier future for everyone.💙💦

👉 Join our newsletter - https://bit.ly/3O0Gp23 and 🗣tell a friend! Together we will leave a lasting legacy in our community!

02/19/2025

Next Monday, February 24th, grant applications will be available for the third and final round of the 💦2020-25 King County Aquatic Facilities Grant Program. Cities, school districts, or parks districts that own or operate PUBLIC aquatic facilities can apply for grants up to 💲$100,000 for feasibility studies and up to 💲$5 million for land acquisition, renovation or expansion of existing aquatic facilities, or construction of new aquatic facilities. This grant program is critical for public entities given limited sources of funding. This grant cycle is expected to be competitive given the momentum within King County for new public aquatic facilities and enhancements planned for our aging facilities.

There is a little over 💲$7 million available for this final round. The first two grant cycles have seen 26 total awards totaling $22.25 million.

👉Applications are due by March 31st.
LEARN MORE - https://bit.ly/3CIXURK

💦SPLASHForward serves on the Advisory Committee for the Parks and Open Space and Aquatic Facilities Grant Programs.

King County Parks - Your Big Backyard

02/16/2025

🎉Congratulations to all the boys 🏊‍♂️who competed in swimming and diving events last weekend in KingCo competitions and this weekend at Districts!💙💦

A huge shoutout to our 💦SplashForward Student Ambassadors💦 who showed up in force at a few of the competitions over the past two weekends to help create awareness about SPLASHForward and the new Bellevue Aquatic Center! 🙏Thank you Maya and Hannah for helping get the word out and answering people’s questions.

As a regional facility with a 720 competitor and 900 spectator capacity, the new Bellevue Aquatic Center will be able to host KingCo and Districts competitions. We’ve worked with our local school district and stakeholders to create an event model that is right sized for our local high school competitions and more.

👉Please join our newsletter to stay in the know! https://bit.ly/3O0Gp23

🙌💪Good luck to those who are advancing onto State next weekend!

02/15/2025

Learn and practice the 🛟🏊lifeguard certification prerequisites before you take a Lifeguard Training Certification course. Our Friday night group sessions are open to teens 14 - 18 and are designed to meet you where you are with your swim skills. This is a great way to practice and learn the skills you need to successfully pass the prerequisites and learn about lifeguarding. 💙💦

Classes are led by a Lifeguard Instructor. FREE Pizza afterward!

Come to one session or all! Sign up and bring a friend!

👉Fridays - February 28th, March 28th, and April 4th - 8:00pm - 9:00pm
👉REGISTER TODAY - https://bit.ly/3Zy5iqb (City of Bellevue Registration)
💦Ages – 14 – 18yrs
💦Cost - $5.50
FREE Pizza afterward🍕

🙏Thank you to Bellevue Aquatic Center for your partnership to provide these classes!
City of Bellevue, Washington - Government

Learn more about our HS Lifeguard Training Program - https://bit.ly/3cem1qS

02/14/2025

💦💕Happy Valentine’s Day!💕💦
Today we share our love of the water and wish everyone joy through a healthy relationship with water. We share a special love story with an aquatic birthday serenade for Joan’s 95th birthday.🎂 🏊‍♀️💙💦🥳

Joan and Richard have been married for nearly 73 years and have known each other since 1st grade. Both are 95 years young. They visit the Julius Bohem Pool 3x a week for water aerobics and swimming. Joan has been doing water aerobics for 40 years. So, when Richard wanted to wish her Happy Birthday, he chose to do it during Joan’s water aerobic class giving everyone a special treat with his very talented quartet performance with poolside acoustics. Enjoy!💕

💙💦Public pools are important places that build community and special memories. Investing in public pools is investing in our community.

💙💦

02/14/2025

We are well into Black History Month🏊🏿💙💦 and we shine the light on U.S. Black aquatic athletes from our swimming, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming histories that have reached great heights and are giving back to change the aquatic story for communities of color. Here are a few history makers working to create change through their achievements and personal missions.

Swimming pools and those who had access to them has long been telling the story of systemic racism that has resulted in disproportionate drowning rates and ability to swim for communities of color. As we look to new public pools in our region and the new Bellevue Aquatic Center, we look forward to programming partnerships that create aquatic pathways for communities of color and creating a welcoming environment within aquatic facilities.

If you are near downtown Bellevue, stop by City Hall for their ‘Voices Unbound’ exhibit showcasing PNW Black artists. City of Bellevue, Washington - Government

💦Simone Manuel – 3x Olympian, 2x Gold, 4x Silver, 1x Bronze medalist - Simone Manuel Foundation 💙💦 Simone Manuel
💦Cullen Jones – 2x Olympian, 2x Gold, 2x Silver medalist – USA Swimming Foundation 💙💦 USA Swimming Foundation
💦Nike Agunbiade – NCAA Platform Diver and World 10m Diver 💙💦
💦Jamal Hill – 2x US Paralympian, Bronze Medalist – Swim Up Hill 💙💦

02/06/2025

We celebrate🎉 all girls & women in aquatic sports in our PNW region! They are role models, team players, spokespeople, life savers, and water lovers. We see the confidence participating in sports gives you and how investing in girls and women's sports creates a platform to grow leaders in our community.

We look forward to building a place that expands aquatic opportunities, supports healthy lifestyles, and builds an inclusive community for girls and women.
🏊🤽‍♀️🏄‍♀️🛟💙💦

02/05/2025

Thank you for sharing Samena Swim & Recreation Club. The power of the water and access to it is beautifully illustrated in Allison’s work. Do you know of Black artists who have captured the power of water 🏊🏾‍♀️💙💦? We’d love to highlight them!

Be sure to visit City Hall to see this month’s exhibit!

In celebration of Black History Month, Bellevue City Hall is exhibiting the art of 21 Pacific Northwest Black artists in their show 'Voices Unbound.' Samena was fortunate to have our own artist, Allison Coleman (our much-beloved former Office Coordinator), whose original art piece, 'My Samena,' is displayed in our lobby. Learn more: bellevuewa.gov/city-news/voices-unbounded

02/01/2025

Public pools are safe inclusive spaces and we look forward to providing swims like this where our LGTBQ+ community can enjoy the water at the New Bellevue Aquatic Center.

Pride Across the Bridge

Q***r, Trans, and Allies: Join us on Saturday, February 15, from 2:30 to 4:00 PM at Helene Madison Pool for an All Gender Swim!

-Shallow play area with toys
-Diving boards
-Privacy curtains from pool to lobby
-Gender-affirming communal locker rooms
-2 gender-neutral locker rooms

Youth/Senior/Adaptive: $5.50
Adults: $7.50

This event is specifically designed for those in the LGBT+ community, but all are welcome.

Questions? Contact [email protected]

01/30/2025

This is a great example of how access to pools helps local fisherman and water rescuers train for water safety in our open waters. There are nonpeak times in pool schedules where fisherman and fireman can train. We've accounted for these usages in the schedule matrices for the new Bellevue Aquatic Center's pools, both the deep water tank and 50m pool that has both shallow and deep water.

We're excited to expand training opportunities for our local firemen and fishermen in the water and on dryland for fitness. The new Bellevue Aquatic Center will be a regional training location for water safety.

Bellevue (WA) Fire Department

Fisherman Safety Training at Mary Wayte Pool!