Pools closing temporarily

Hawaii County’s swimming pools are receiving necessary safety improvements that will result in the temporary closure of five facilities, the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation announced Friday.

Hilo’s NAS Pool and Charles “Sparky” Kawamoto Swim Stadium, Pahala Swimming Pool, Konawaena Pool, and the Kona Community Aquatic Center (KCAC) each will be closed for an estimated 10 days while the upgrades are being made.

The Department of Parks and Recreation is replacing all of the drain covers at each facility with newer, safer versions that meet mandated federal standards to address potential entrapment issues. The following lists the tentative start date for each pool to be closed:

April 21 – NAS Pool in Hilo (961-8697) April 22 or 23 – Kawamoto Pool (961-8698) April 28 – P‘hala Pool (928-8177) May 4 – Kona Pool at Konawaena High School (323-3252) May 21 – Kona Community Aquatic Center Pool (KCAC) (327-3500)

Due to the scope and nature of the work involved, it cannot be predicted when each upgrade will be completed. Please contact pool staff at the respective facilities (telephone numbers provided above) for updates on the work progress and the reopening dates.

New drain covers have already been installed at both the Laupahoehoe and Kohala pools, while similar work at the Pahoa Community Aquatic Center will be scheduled at a later date. The Department of Parks and Recreation thanks the public for its patience and understanding while these important modifications are being made to ensure swimmers’ safety, Director Bob Fitzgerald said.