The construction barrier at the Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center on Madison Avenue has become a sign-in sheet. Anyone who has ever swum in Ray Williamson Pool is invited to write their name on it, along with how many years they've been part of the island's swimming community. Small viewing portholes are built into the wall, so you can look past the names at the emptied pool behind it.
The other pool in the building has to cover for it. For the rest of 2026, the Don Nakata Memorial Pool holds lap swim, lessons, water exercise, the youth club team, masters swimmers and high school sports. It has four 25-yard lap lanes. A good swim week this winter depends on how you plan around that one shared calendar more than on when you have free time.
Four Lanes, and a Rulebook for Sharing Them
Don Nakata was built as the recreation pool. Its four lanes sit alongside a dive tank, a beach and river area, a tot pool, a slide, a hot tub, a steam room and a sauna. With the lap pool closed, the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District has put temporary lane rules in place, listed on its program descriptions page:
- No more than three swimmers in a lap lane at once.
- Two swimmers may split a lane, and three must circle swim.
- When people are waiting in line, each swimmer is limited to 45 minutes.
- Qualified swimmers ages 8 to 14 use the mini lap lanes. Those are two short lanes set up in the dive tank for swimmers who aren't working on distance.
Taken together, the rules cap an open lap session at a dozen swimmers. The 45-minute limit decides who gets a lane during the busiest hours. A swimmer used to a long unbroken set at 6 p.m. will probably find it easier to come at an off-peak time. The building opens as early as 4 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 4:30 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Why the Crunch Got Worse in the Fall
Over the summer, swimmers had other choices. That changed in September. In an August 18 note, the district's aquatic program administrator explained that high school sports would join the "already busy schedule" in Don Nakata in September, while "many of our offsite options and seasonal summer pools will close." The note said it plainly: "Every program and swimmer will feel the crunch of space and time."
The island's own summer option is part of that. The Bainbridge Island Recreation Center pool is outdoors and seasonal, so it doesn't help in November. That leaves one indoor pool on the island for the whole season, with demand at its peak.
The administrator's practical advice was to check the online pool calendar daily before every visit, because the schedule "will change and rotate depending on programming needs and staff availability." Lap swim no longer has a fixed weekly time slot. It moves with the programs.
The Club Team Already Commutes
The Bainbridge Island Swim Club shows how this works on a weekly schedule. Its practice schedule runs from August 31 to February 1, 2027, with a note at the top: "When Ray pool re-opens(TBD) our schedule will change."
The younger groups stay home. Bronze and Silver swim Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons in Nakata. Copper and Gold have Tuesday and Thursday evening practices plus weekend sessions there. Starting November 17, those Tuesday and Thursday practices begin at 5:15 p.m.
The older groups leave the island twice a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Regional and Sectional groups swim 7 to 9 p.m. at the Olympic Aquatic Center, and the van leaves at 6 p.m. Champs swimmers go to the same pool from 7 to 8:30 p.m. by van or carpool. The club's van sign-up page asks for parent volunteers and has weekly sign-up links running into December. The Olympic Aquatic Center is the pool at Olympic High School, 7077 Stampede Blvd. NW in Bremerton.
Without a competition pool, the club still ran what its team news page called a successful first "home" meet this fall. High school swimmers can keep up to three BISC practices a week during the three-month high school season. That means the same young swimmers may show up in Don Nakata under two different programs in one week.
The club schedule offers a model for anyone else. Keep the regular sessions in Nakata, and pick one or two off-island pools to count on when the island calendar is full.
Where the Overflow Can Go
Three pools within a drive of the island post public access and prices. The figures below come from each facility's own page, so check them before you go.
| Pool | Address | What's posted for drop-in visitors |
|---|---|---|
| North Kitsap Community Pool | 1881 NE Hostmark St, Poulsbo | Lap swim Monday through Saturday, with six lanes in the early mornings. Open swim Saturday noon to 2 p.m. $6 adults, $5 youth, seniors and disabled swimmers, $17.50 for a household of up to five |
| Kitsap Tennis & Athletic Center | 1909 NE John Carlson Rd., Bremerton | Pool open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends. Public swim for nonmembers is $14 per person or $28 per household of up to five, before tax |
| Haselwood Family YMCA | 3909 NW Randall Way, Silverdale | One-day guest passes are $20 adult, $10 youth, $35 family. Guests 16 and up need photo ID and a signed waiver, and youth need a parent or guardian's signature |
For a lap swimmer, North Kitsap is the closest fit. Its early mornings offer six lanes, two more than Don Nakata has in total, and a drop-in costs $6. KTAC's public swim is priced for families, with one $28 fee covering a household of up to five. The YMCA's lap lanes and open swim are listed in its aquatics schedule, so look there before driving to Silverdale.
What's Happening Behind the Wall
The rehabilitation began in September 2024. Its goal, according to the park district, is to extend the pool's life by at least 20 years. Phase One replaced mechanical systems and covered structural and safety work. The pool reopened from summer 2025 through spring 2026, then closed again for Phase Two, which started May 11.
As of the Bainbridge Island Review's September 28 report, the pool had been fully emptied and the drains removed. The concrete contractor was on site preparing for pours, lane marker tiles were going in, and plumbing and electrical upgrades were the next step. The district's project page lists the full scope: HVAC and building systems, filtration and plumbing, the concrete deck and perimeter tile, a liner coating, and safety and accessibility improvements.
On timing, the August 18 note said the project was on schedule to finish in early 2027, barring unforeseen issues. When the Review checked in September, Erin Johnston of the park district said there was no anticipated completion date yet, and that the project was not behind schedule. Johnston told the Review that "the construction barrier surrounding the project has become our community wall."
You can follow the progress without a lane booking. There's a live construction camera in the Aquatic Center lobby, a bulletin board, and the viewing windows on the pool deck. If you're at 8521 Madison Avenue for a lesson or an early lap session, you can check on Ray Williamson on your way out.
If your family's week includes the Aquatic Center, a club van or a pre-dawn lap session, we'd love to hear how you're making it work this winter. McLaughlin & Co. keeps track of the everyday routines that shape life on Bainbridge, and we're glad to talk them through with you. Make time for coffee and schedule a consultation.
