Bond & Levy Project

Overview

Proposed concept layout of the rebuilt Aquatic Center on the same site. Specific design work for the new pool will take place over the next year.

Hood River Valley Parks & Recreation District is a special district created in 1988 that serves almost all of Hood River County (excluding Cascade Locks). The District operates independently from the City of Hood River and Hood River County.

In May 2026, voters approved two measures for the District:

  • Bond: public financing to rebuild the Hood River Aquatic Center at its current location.

    • The rebuilt facility is anticipated to include:

      • Permanent roof

      • Updated to be compliant with current building codes and include energy-efficient

      improvements

      • Redesigned pool layout for safety, accessibility, and crowd circulation

      • Competition pool for lap swimming and teams

      • Warm pool for swim lessons, therapy, fitness, and recreation

      • Family changing rooms

      • Modernized mechanical systems

      • District maintenance space

      • Site improvements, furnishing and equipment

  • Levy: five years of funding to support community recreation, maintain parks and trails, and keep the pool operating.

Key Milestones for Pool

How to Get Involved & Stay Updated

    • HRV Parks and Rec Foundation launches capital campaign for enhancements (add’l roll-up doors; splashpad)

    • Appointed members for Oversight Committee and 2026-27 Advisory Council.

    • The Hood River Aquatic Center rebuild project has cleared a major milestone. With the guidance of our Owner’s Representative, the Board of Directors has selected a modern, collaborative building method called Progressive Design-Build.
      As a public agency, we operate under strict state transparency laws.

    • The Board's choice to use Progressive Design-Build went through a formal approval process to prove this method serves the public interest better than a traditional purchasing method.

      Instead of picking a contractor based solely on a blind low bid, this method lets us choose a team based on their expert qualifications, safety record, and pool-building experience. Once hired, they will sit down directly with us to design the facility and lock in a guaranteed budget before any construction begins.

      Where We Are right Now: The 3-Step Selection Process

      We will be entering the hiring phase. To ensure we get the absolute best team for Hood River Parks & Rec, we are following three clear steps:

      • Step 1: The Talent Search (Request For Qualification): We are issuing a formal call for qualifications to find the most experienced aquatic design and construction teams in the region.

      • Step 2: The Shortlist (Request For Proposals): Our project team will review the applications and narrow the field down to a tight "shortlist" of the top-tier firms. We will then invite those select firms to submit detailed project proposals.

      • Step 3: The Award: We will select the single best team to partner with us, kickstarting the community design conversations.

      Why this Matters for Taxpayers

      • Better Budget Control: We design the pool and agree on a transparent, guaranteed maximum price together before a single shovel hits the dirt.

      • Fewer Delays: Because the architect and the builder are on the same team from day one, we avoid the costly miscommunications and scheduling delays common in traditional public construction.

  • We do not have specific dates yet on when the pool will be rebuilt. As the project moves along, we will update this page will details. Stay tuned for more info.

    • Complete architectural design

    • Begin general contractor competitive bid process

    • Begin permitting process

    • Begin demolition & construction (We will update this area with concrete dates when we have more details.)

    • Aquatic Center constructruction completed.

    • Grand opening of rebuilt aquatic center

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The estimated timeline for the pool rebuild project will be provided once the project team is selected and we get into design. We don’t have a specific closure date yet. The closure of the current pool is estimated to be sometime around or after summer of 2027.

    The pool concept consultants estimated that the construction project (from demolition through rebuild) will take approximately 12-18 months.

    A more precise timeline will be provided once we have more concrete details.

  • Hood River Valley Parks and Rec Foundation has launched a $2 million campaign to raise additional funds for enhancements to supplement the bond funds. There are 3 areas of focus:

    • Indoor enhancements (like a more space in the recreation pool, play features & bleachers)

    • Outdoor enhancements (like an outdoor patio, splashpad, and seating for the patio).

    • Indoor-outdoor connections (Large doors for fresh air and more windows for natural light)

    • You can find out more about the Foundation’s efforts HERE.

    Additionally, the District will be applying for grants for eligible outdoor features, like a splash pad and patio. Check out this document that outlines what grants are viable for this project.

  • We are committed to minimizing the impact on all of our District residents during the time the pool is being rebuild .

    We will continue to operate the pool while we proceed through the project's design and permitting phases. 

    While the pool is closed for construction, we are exploring the possibility of partnering with other pools in the gorge so that user groups, high school swim teams, and water polo teams can use those facilities. Facilities that are willing to partner with us include: Stevenson Pool (indoor facility), Northern Wasco Parks and Rec (summer), and possibly the Mt. Hood Aquatic Center (indoor facility). Additionally, we will also look into coordinating some transportation options for users. 


  • Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District in the process of hiring an Owner’s Representative.

    The Owner’s Representative will oversee the entire project. They represent HRVPRD and will work with the future architects and contractors to ensure the project remains on time, within budget, and is up to standard.

    If you have questions about the project, please email us HERE.