The West Hollywood Aquatics Team (WH2O) were invited by the City of West Hollywood to test out the new West Hollywood pool yesterday, late afternoon/early evening, at the soon-to-be-open Aquatics and Recreation Center. Photos posted on the team’s Instagram account, @wh2omasters captured the jubilant moment when members were reunited with a pool at West Hollywood Park for the first time.
“The day has finally come after two years!” Reads the post. “The brand new BEAUTIFUL West Hollywood Pool was so worth the wait. Just as lovely to see familiar faces and new ones, friends and chosen family ❣️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️. We are so excited to start making new memories here in our new home! 🥹😭😍 And of course coach @kileyames crushed it with workout number one in the new pool! 🏊🏼♀️🏊”
West Hollywood Aquatics is a Masters swimming and water polo club based in West Hollywood. The teams include athletes of all abilities ranging from former Olympians to beginners. Everyone is welcome regardless of skill, gender, race, sexual orientation, or disability (https://www.teamunify.com).
The City of West Hollywood is working to open the Aquatic and Recreation Center at West Hollywood Park in the coming weeks. Public access to the ARC will be accomplished in a phased approach to protect the safety and welfare of the public and users of the facility.
Despite the finished appearance of the building, final items are being completed and City staff has just begun to occupy the recreation center at West Hollywood Park under a temporary occupancy permit. Currently, staff are training and certifying fire-life-safety systems for the pools and equipment in the building, and staff are beginning to move into office space and test and familiarize themselves with operations of the site.
The City anticipates receiving approval to allow limited public access soon and will begin a phased roll-out approach in June 2022. All maintenance, operations, and recreation staff, including lifeguards, must be fully trained in site operations and pools prior to public access.
The City recently reopened a large portion of the park-site at West Hollywood Park. This area was previously closed for completion of the West Hollywood Park Phase II Master Plan Implementation Project, which includes the Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC) building and park construction work.
West Hollywood Park open areas currently include:
- Adult Fitness Equipment: Open to the public.
- El Tovar Place: Open to the public. El Tovar Place provides east to west access through West Hollywood Park between N. San Vicente Boulevard and N. Robertson Boulevard including access to the parking structures.
- Expanded Turf Areas: Open to the public. There is access from N. San Vicente Boulevard, N. Robertson Boulevard, El Tovar Place, and from the third level of the West Hollywood Park Five-Story Parking Structure located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard.
- New Public Art: Open to the public. Parallel Perpendicular by artist Phillip K. Smith III is located in the Robertson Gardens area.
- Robertson Gardens: Open to the public. There are picnic tables and an expanded turf area for passive recreation activities.
- West Hollywood Library Parking Structure: Open to the public. Open hours align with the West Hollywood Library’s operating hours.
- West Hollywood Park restrooms adjacent to the City’s Small Dog Park: Open to the public.
For park updates, subscribe to the City’s West Hollywood Park Master Plan Phase II e-notifications list to receive updates.
