PRESS RELEASE - Mountain View Pool Reopens Monday July 29

Boiler repairs successful, pool reheated and ready to open Monday

PORT TOWNSEND – Mountain View Pool is set to reopen on Monday, July 29, after boilers and electrical equipment were damaged in late May by a watermain break at Mountain View Campus.

Immediate action from City staff and agency partners restored water and power to the campus within hours. Boiler parts were ordered, although supply chain and availability required a four-week wait for their arrival. While waiting for parts, staff raised the boiler control panels above flood level, innovating a solution to be better prepared if a water line failure occurs in the future. Diligent specification of parts from the City Facilities team also helped drop the initial repair estimate from $100,000 to $60,000.

Parks and Facilities Manager Michael Todd says, “I’m so appreciative of our hard-working team for their quick response and diligence, and of the YMCA for our partnership in operating this aged facility. While we were disheartened to have to close the pool last month, we’re thrilled to open once again and welcome the public to enjoy a swim, an exercise class, and reconnecting with the pool community.”

The City team has been monitoring the repaired boilers the past few days, with water temperatures over 80 degrees and climbing.  Careful monitoring of the boiler unit shows no issues and provides strong confidence in an opening on Monday.

“We're thrilled to be opening and grateful for the City's hard work in getting the pool up and running again. We know how important this pool is to the community," says Wendy Bart, CEO of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA. "We also want to extend our gratitude to our staff and community members who provided transportation so people could use the pool at our Sequim YMCA while Mountain View was closed.”  

The Mountain View Pool is over 60 years old and far beyond its expected service life. 

The original Mountain View Campus heating, plumbing, and electrical systems configurations are outdated and subject to large failures such as this flooding event, especially as the infrastructure continues to age and heavy use puts pressure on old systems.  New facilities are designed with redundant systems so that infrastructure issues do not result in catastrophic failures.   

The most recent interagency approach to explore and assess options for a pool to serve our region has been underway since early 2023.  More information and materials related to that effort can be found at https://cityofpt.us/engagept/page/healthier-together and https://www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/1723/Healthier-Together-Task-Force. 

More information on the flooding incident is included in the Council agenda bill, be found here: https://cityofpt.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=3559&meta_id=229050

Information related to the Mountain View Pool is also available by the operator, the Olympic Peninsula YMCA, at: https://www.olympicpeninsulaymca.org/alert-bar/all/ymca-of-jefferson-county-mountain-view-pool-closure 

#                             #                             #

For more information and updates, follow the City Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CityofPT