Des Moines Pools Open for the Season and Kicks Off Summertime Fun

Des Moines, Iowa - Friday, June 5, 2026 - The unofficial start of summer has officially arrived! Des Moines Parks and Recreation is excited to announce that the 2026 aquatic season will fully get underway tomorrow, June 6.

Beginning this weekend, Des Moines' two swimming pools, three aquatic centers, and four splash pools will open to the public, joining the City's popular spraygrounds which have been open since May 1. Residents are invited to kick off the season at the Birdland Bash tomorrow night, a family-friendly pool party designed to bring the community together with games, frozen treats and endless fun. With a total of 30 aquatic facilities throughout the park system, Des Moines residents have plenty of unique options for staying cool, staying active, and entertained throughout the hot Iowa summer.

To ensure the safety of all visitors, while staying within the 2026 operating budget, Des Moines Parks and Recreation has implemented a strategic, rotating weekday closure schedule for open swim times this season. This strategy ensures that every facility remains fully staffed, safe, and operational for the entire summer. Each location will close for open swim just one weekday each week.

Important Note: This schedule only applies to open swim times. All special programming, including swim lessons and fitness classes, will not be affected by these closures.

2026 Rotating Open Swim Closure Schedule:

• Mondays: Nahas Aquatic Center closed

• Tuesdays: Birdland Pool closed

• Wednesdays: Northwest Pool closed

• Thursdays: Ashworth Aquatic Center closed

• Fridays: Teachout Aquatic Center closed

Please note that due to required maintenance, visitors should be aware of the delayed opening for specific features at Nahas Aquatic Center. While the main pool will be open as scheduled on June 6, the water slides and mushroom spray feature are scheduled to become operational beginning July 4. This delay is necessary as maintenance crews await the delivery and installation of a replacement plunge pool filter and pump. Maintenance crews are working diligently to get the repair completed as quickly as possible and appreciate Des Moines residents' patience.

For the latest updates on pool hours, weather-related closures, and special events, residents are encouraged to follow Des Moines Parks and Recreation on social media and visit the aquatics webpage at DSM.city/Aquatics, where they can also view a map of temporary reduced sprayground hours due to voluntary water use reductions.

Contact
Ally MacLean
Communications Specialist II, City Manager's Office
(515) 689-8819
[email protected]

About the City of Des Moines
The City of Des Moines is Iowa's capital city and our 17 departments serve more than 214,000 residents and 46 neighborhood associations. Des Moines is a leader in sustainability and provides its residents with vibrant neighborhoods, an alive and active downtown, and abundant leisure opportunities.
Des Moines continuously improves neighborhoods, public safety and quality of life by offering exceptional city services and reliable infrastructure while fostering an involved and compassionate community for all who visit and live in Des Moines.
Visit DSM.city, Facebook and Twitter for more information.