Pools Open, Closed For Memorial Day Swimming In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Memorial Day doesn’t just mark the unofficial start of summer in Baltimore County — it’s also the weekend most outdoor pools and aquatic centers open their doors for summer swimming and other warm-weather fun.

Last year, summer looked a lot different for Baltimore County families as many area pools remained closed for the season to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus — a pandemic that, at the time, was just two months old.

But this Memorial Day — with more than 120 million Americans fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and weekly COVID-19-related deaths at a 14-month low — many pools will once again open this summer.

If you’re planning to soak up some sun this Memorial Day weekend, here are the pools and aquatic centers that will be open in Baltimore County and Baltimore City:

• Clifton Park, 2013 Sinclair Lane
• Patterson Park, 148 S. Linwood Ave.
• Riverside Park, 1800 Covington Ave.
• Roosevelt Park, 3500 Poole St.
• Ambrose Kennedy, 1000 Ensor St.
• C.C. Jackson, 4910 Park Heights Ave.
• Liberty, 3901 Maine Ave.
• O’Donnell Heights, 1200 Gusryan St.
• Murdock/Oliver, 1400 East Lanvale St.
• William McAbee, 1323 N. Gilmore St.
• Farring Baybrook, 4501 Farring Court

There is no scientific evidence that COVID-19 can spread to others through water in pools, hot tubs, water playgrounds or other treated aquatic venues, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

While no data exists on how COVID-19 responds to chlorine, the chemical has been known to inactivate similar viruses.

But going to a public pool involves more than swimming, and that’s where the risk can be found.

Assessing that out-of-water risk involves looking at several variables, according to MIT Medical, which suggest people should avoid the “three C’s” — closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby, and close-contact settings, such as close-range conversation.

Fortunately, being outdoors and in spaces with good ventilation also reduces the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, according to the CDC.