February 4, 2026

Shoreline floats new pool proposal

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The city purchased the site, not far from Shoreline City Hall, back in 2017.

Even before closing its old pool in 2020, the city of Shoreline has hoped to build a new aquatics center for the community.

A 2019 ballot measure to build an aquatics center — together with a new recreation facility and community center — failed, but hope for a new pool continues.

In 2024, the Shoreline City Council directed its staff to explore putting a new public indoor pool facility on the 2026 ballot.

The city has been working with consultants Miller Hayashi Architects and MJMA on preliminary designs for a 48,000-square-foot aquatics center — a much smaller proposal from the 75,000-square-foot combined community center proposal from 2019.

The city's project website says the draft concept plan calls for an eight-lane lap pool with diving area, a leisure pool with a lazy river, a hydrotherapy pool, and other amenities such as changing rooms, a party room, a reception area and snack bar.

According to the city, “The new pool building will be designed for Shoreline to come together for play, leisure, exercise, wellness and recreation. It will expand the city's green spaces, creating outdoor spaces for more community activity. With swimming at its core, this facility will be welcome to all.”

The estimated construction cost is $100 million.

The city purchased a site for the facility back in 2017; records show a $17 million sale of a secure storage facility at 17828 Midvale Ave. N. That site is just east of Aurora Avenue North and the city's Park at Town Center, not far from Shoreline City Hall.

The city is still in the exploratory process. Over the summer, community members had the opportunity to chime in on the design. More than 740 responded, through online and in-person events. That input was used to help create the draft concept design.

What did the community say they wanted from a new aquatics center? Kids' swimming lessons topped the list, followed by lap swim use and open swimming for everyone.

Next on the timeline, the city council will review the community input and early design concepts this spring. It will then discuss whether to put forward a ballot measure for the project this November.