The middle school location was ultimately chosen as the best site for the pool due to its size, location, proximity for school programs and proximity to transportation, including the safe routes to schools walking paths. The WSVPMPD was delighted to partner with the White Salmon Valley School District on a long term lease for this location that includes ongoing support for water safety and swimming instruction.

Some folks may wonder why the new pool wasn’t just built on the old pool site. This is because the old pool site was transferred to the school district to meet state-mandated requirements for the elementary school space.

Likewise, the 0.5 acre site across from the elementary school would have severely limited the functionality of the facility due to size of the lot, and it would have substantially impacted the surrounding neighborhoods with additional traffic in an already congested area.

Several alternative sites were considered but found to be severely limited or relatively inaccessible. The middle school property was chosen as the primary option because it has no other perceived uses, is readily accessible, is large enough for future enhancements, and represents a major enhancement for school programs and properties.