When does Pullman's indoor pool reopen? The building next to Pullman High School on Military Hill was supposed to reopen this month. It won't. Its owners now plan to reopen the pools in January 2027. What matters most for anyone planning a swim routine is what comes after that, because the people running the project have already said the renovation will close the building again during 2027.
How the October date slipped to January
In April, Pullman Radio reported that the Schweitzer Wellbeing Center would close May 1. Work was set to run through September, with a reopening in October. In mid-August the schedule changed. Here is how the dates line up:
- Dec. 28, 2025: The City of Pullman's last day running an indoor pool, according to the city's parks and recreation page.
- May 1, 2026: The Schweitzer Wellbeing Center closes for renovation and expansion.
- Aug. 19, 2026: Pullman Radio reports that the work is behind schedule. An SEL email to the community blamed "additional project requirements and finishing details."
- Aug. 24, 2026: SEL's project update says the closure is expected to continue through 2026, with the pools reopening in January 2027.
- 2027: SEL says more temporary closures will be needed throughout the year to finish Phase II.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories owns the facility today. SEL and the Schweitzer family bought the former Pullman Aquatics Center from the Pullman School District for $5 million. That purchase kept a pool open that had been struggling financially under city management. The family had also donated $2.5 million to build it in 2000.
January brings back the pools, not the finished building
The project now runs in two phases. The January date applies to the first one. SEL lists the work for each phase on its update page and on the Schweitzer Wellbeing Center site.
Phase I | Phase II | |
|---|---|---|
Status | Underway now | Planned for 2027 |
Scope | Renovated locker rooms with larger stalls and changing areas; high-efficiency HVAC; refinished pools and resurfaced deck; more office space | Two-story, 13,000-square-foot addition |
Pool-side details | New handrails, competition platforms, lifeguard towers, plus paint, doors and lighting throughout | New fitness center, multipurpose fitness classroom and meeting space, new lobby |
Closure | Through 2026, pools back January 2027 | "Additional temporary closures will be required throughout 2027" |
The April plan expected some minor construction to continue after the fall reopening, with the whole project done early next year. The August update turned that into a separate second phase with its own closures. SEL has not published dates for those closures yet. It says schedules will be shared as details become available.
How memberships work during the closure
The SWC site explains how current memberships are being handled. Monthly memberships were paused May 1, and renewal charges won't run during the closure. When the building reopens, members can restart their monthly plan or pick a new annual option. The annual option has been part of the plan since spring, when only monthly memberships were offered. No new prices have been published. The site invites people to join a mailing list for membership announcements.
The expiration date on class packages fits the Phase II timeline. Existing packages stay valid after reopening through December 31, 2027. That window covers the same year SEL expects more closures, which gives package holders room to use their classes around them.
This summer, the center held aquatic fitness classes at Reaney Pool from June 22 to Aug. 21. The 10 a.m. classes ran Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at $4 drop-in. Reaney is now closed for the season. The city's page says it no longer runs an indoor pool and doesn't offer swim lessons. Moscow's outdoor Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center is closed for the 2026 season. None of the SWC material reviewed announces a fall replacement program. That leaves two indoor options that publish community access.
Where to swim laps this fall
The two options cost very different amounts. They also run on different calendars, which matters more once Phase II closures start.
University of Idaho Swim Center, Moscow | WSU Student Recreation Center pool, Pullman | |
|---|---|---|
Pool | Eight-lane, 25-yard competition pool plus a four-lane teaching pool | Five-lane, 25-yard pool |
Community access | Open to students, faculty, staff and the community | Community semester membership or day pass |
Single visit | $6 daily pass, in person, exact change or check | $13 day pass |
Multi-visit | $45 for 10 visits; $33 for 30 days | none listed |
Semester | $110 for fall or spring | $337 community semester, fall runs Aug. 1–Dec. 31 |
Lap swim / hours | Weekday mornings from 6 a.m., 11 a.m.–2 p.m. midday, 7–9 p.m. most evenings; weekends noon–3 p.m. | Thursday, Oct. 8: 6–8 a.m., 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 4–10 p.m. |
For the rest of the fall term, the U of I Swim Center is the cheaper choice. A 10-punch card works out to $4.50 a swim, about a third of WSU's day pass. The full $110 semester pass costs about a third of WSU's $337 community semester. The U of I page says semester passes are prorated, with final pricing at checkout, so a pass bought in October should cost less than the full rate. Daily passes are sold only in person. Other passes can be bought online, then activated at the desk with a signed waiver.
The WSU pool is closer for anyone on Military Hill, but the membership rules need a check before you pay. The UREC membership table lists a community member semester tier at $337. The UREC FAQ tells people who aren't WSU students, faculty, staff or alumni to join the WSU Alumni Association, which costs $55 a year, to qualify for the alumni membership. Those two pages describe different routes. The membership office at 509-335-4227 can confirm which one applies to you. Members also need a Cougar Card to get in, obtained within a week of buying the membership. On home football weekends, UREC sells an $18 pass good Thursday through Sunday.
WSU's other pool, Gibb Pool, is listed differently. UREC's aquatics page describes it as available for group rentals, including groups with no WSU connection. Its hours calendar showed it closed Oct. 8 and 9.
Lap swim closures between now and January
The Moscow schedule has gaps between now and the SWC reopening. These are the remaining U of I dates that affect public lap swim this term:
- Friday, Oct. 9: No evening lap swim during the Vandals women's meet against Seattle University.
- Fridays, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30: Morning lap swim cut to 6–7 a.m. for Navy ROTC swim qualifications.
- Saturday, Oct. 24: No lap swim during the high school district meet.
- Saturday, Nov. 7: No lap swim during the Vandals' meet against Fresno State.
- Nov. 23–27: Closed to the public for Thanksgiving break, with maintenance scheduled Nov. 23–25.
- Dec. 24–Jan. 3, 2027: Closed to the public for winter break.
The last closure runs right into the start of January, the month SWC expects to reopen. WSU's fall community membership also ends Dec. 31, and the spring term starts Jan. 1. Until SWC announces an exact reopening day, the next few weeks could be the hardest time to find lap swim nearby.
Where the Greyhounds and local clubs are swimming
Pullman High School's girls' team is swimming at WSU this fall. The Moscow-Pullman Daily News reported on Sept. 24 that Pullman hosted Lewiston, Clarkston and Moscow in a four-team meet at Gibb Pool. The same roundup says the Greyhounds' three relays met state standards for the November state meet at a Sept. 22 meet in Prosser. The school calendar lists a meet "@ WSU" on Oct. 14 and one at Clarkston on Oct. 16.
Club swimming in the area is split between the two universities. Vandal Aquatic Club's South team trains at the University of Idaho Swim Center at 1030 S. Rayburn St. Its 2026–27 schedule includes senior practices weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m., plus age-group sessions on weekday afternoons. Cougar Aquatics lists Gibb Pool in WSU's Physical Education Building as its facility. That puts the Swim Center's 4 to 6 p.m. weekday slot in club hands, and the public evening lap swim starts at 7 p.m.
The Phase II closures don't have dates yet. Whenever they come, swimmers who already have a U of I pass or a UREC membership will know their way around the other pools.
If you live on Military Hill and the January reopening is affecting your plans, whether that's a daily swim, a teenager's practice schedule, or the timing of a move, I'm happy to talk through it, including how the Phase II schedule might fit with your plans for 2027. Krista Gross follows Pullman's neighborhood news for clients and neighbors alike. When you want to know what your home is worth, request a personalized home valuation.
