Frequently Asked Questions

How many pools do you have?
The District has one facility where it operates aquatics programs. 

Pleasant Hill Aquatic Park is in Pleasant Hill Park, 147 Gregory Lane. It has two pools and a Sprayground. The Dive Pool is 6 lanes, 25 yards, 3 ½-10 ½ feet deep. The Training Pool is 20 yards, 4 lanes wide, 3 ½ -4 feet deep. PH Aquatic Park is open year-round, with public swim offered Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Are your pools indoors?
Our pools are all outdoor, heated pools. The Sprayground water is not heated.

What’s the pool temperature?
The temperature varies and might feel warmer or colder based on a number of factors. We try to keep PH Aquatic Park at 82 degrees.

Are classes cancelled when it’s raining?
Generally, classes will be held during inclement weather. However, the pool will be closed and classes cancelled if there is thunder or lightning.

Are your pools ADA accessible?
Yes, our pools and facilities are ADA accessible. We have a chair lift for both the Dive Pool and Training Pool. Our staff are more than happy to show you how to use the chair lifts if you need assistance. In addition, the showers and bathrooms have ADA accessible stalls.

Are there showers?
Yes, we have showers in the changing rooms at PH Aquatic Park

Are there changing rooms?
At PH Aquatic Park, we have changing rooms with showers and restrooms.

Are pets allowed at the pool?
Due to health department regulations, pets and other animals are not allowed in Aquatics Facilities. We welcome ADA-qualified service animals that are specifically trained to work or perform a task for people with disabilities. Emotional support animals do not qualify under ADA and are not allowed in the facility.

Are classes cancelled when it’s raining?
Generally, classes will be held during inclement weather. However, the pool will be closed and classes cancelled if there is thunder or lightning.

I’ve missed a swim lesson. Can I schedule a make up?
Sorry, we are not able to accommodate class make-ups.

Can I request a specific instructor for my swim lesson?
If you have a specific request, please arrive early to the first lesson and speak with the Lesson Manager. Our swim instructors rotate among different class levels and times. Due to the number of classes we offer, there isn’t a guarantee that we can meet your request, but we will try our best.

At what age should I sign my child up for swim lessons?
We encourage you to get your child in the water as soon as possible. Our Sing & Swim Class with Andrea Gaspari is for children 6 months-3 years. This class allows you and your child to practice developmentally appropriate swim skills as your child adjusts to being in the water. We also offer a Parent/Tot swim lesson for children 6 months-4 years, where children learn water adjustment skills with an adult in the water. 

Everyone learns at their own pace and we have found that 3-4 years is the best age for learning to swim. Check out our Tiny Tot and Pre-school lessons for a great introduction to beginning swimming independently.

Please remember that swimming is a complex skill that takes time to develop. Some children will learn quickly, while others may be reluctant to even get in the water. We want your child to love the water and develop swimming into a lifelong habit. Our instructors work to challenge each student to learn at their own pace. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with a lesson manager on the pool deck or give us a call at (925) 682-0896.

What is the difference between Sing & Swim with Andrea Gaspari and Parent/Tot Swim Lessons?
Both classes are for young children, with an adult in the water and will develop water adjustment and swim readiness skills.

Parent/Tot is a low-pressure environment which allows students to develop comfort in the water through songs and pool exploration.

Sing & Swim is for young students (and parents) looking for more a energetic class, who may already be comfortable in the water, and who are ready to learn basic swimming skills.

What class should I sign my child up for?
Registration for our swim lessons is by the swimmer’s age. The age for each class overlaps, giving you the flexibility to choose the class that best meets your child’s needs. If you have questions, please give us a call at (925) 682-0896.

Can I take pictures of my child's swim lesson?
Please see our swim lesson photography policy:

Please no photo taking while children are in the pool. While we are just as excited about your child learning to swim as you are, our lifeguards need a clear view of the pool from all sides and clear poolside access at all times. In the interest of your child’s safety and to preserve the privacy of other families, please save your photo shoots for before or after swim lessons and stay at least 6 feet from pool edge unless otherwise allowed by the onsite Lesson Manager. Thank you for your understanding!

Do you have a swim team?
Yes, we have a swim team.  

The Pleasant Hill Dolfins (PHD) is our summer recreational team. The season runs April-July. Visit the team’s website at www.pleasanthilldolfins.com for more information.  

We also offer Swim Clinics for recreational swimmers at different times of the year. 

What are the requirements to be on swim team? 
Swimmers must be able to swim freestyle with their face in the water and rhythmic breathing, and backstroke. Swimmers 8 & under must be able to swim 25 yards of each stroke.  Swimmers 9 & older must be able to swim 50 yards of each stroke.

Are there try outs?
Yes! Try outs are required for ALL new swimmers for the Dolfins Swim Team, Swim Team Clinics, Mini-Dolfins and Pre-Swim Team. Try-outs are free, but pre-registration is required. You may register for programs before you attend try-outs.

To find the date and register for try-outs, please visit our online catalog. 

What if my child isn’t ready for swim team?
We offer Pre-Swim Team Clinics in the spring and fall, and Mini-Dolfins in the spring and summer, for children who are not quite ready for swim team. These are NOT learn-to-swim clinics and swimmers must be able to float on their stomach and back for at least 10 seconds, as well as "swim" with face in the water and get at least 3 breaths on their own. Swimmers will develop their swimming skills as they build their readiness for swim team.

If I am not swimming, do I need to pay to come in?
Admission for the 2026 season is FREE.  All persons entering the facility must still check in at the front counter. 

How many lifeguards are there?
The number of lifeguards on duty will vary based on the attendance, weather, and other factors. All of our lifeguards hold Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED certifications issued by the American Red Cross and attend regular training.

Can I use a floaty?
Water wings or other ‘floaties’ are not allowed in the facility. In addition, we do not allow the use of noodles or kickboards during public swim. We do allow US Coast Guard Approved Life Jackets, with arms-reach adult supervision. If you don’t have a life jacket, we have free loaners available.

Do I need to have my baby wear a swim diaper?
Anyone who is incontinent, regardless of age, must wear a swim diaper. Disposable swim diapers for children are available for purchase at the pool.

Can I buy goggles or anything else at the pool?
We have goggles and disposable swim diapers for sale at the pool. 

Do I have to go in the water with my child?
Children 8 & under must have an adult in the water with them, within arms-reach, at all times. A swim test is available for 8 & under swimmers to be in the water without an adult. See the Deep End Swim Test for more information. Children 12 & under must have an adult in the facility with them. 

Please remember that water safety and drowning prevention is a TEAM effort and not just the responsibility of the lifeguards.

What happened to the diving boards? 
The Diving Boards no longer meet current code requirements and were retired for the safety of all Pool Users.  Thank you for the good times and cannon balls!

Is there a swim test?
Everyone 17 & under must take the deep end swim test in order to swim in the deep end of the pool. Children 8 & under who successfully complete the swim test are no longer required to have a parent within arms reach while swimming. The test consists of the following items:

• Jump feet first into 5’ of water and swim unassisted, freestyle with face in the water and rhythmic breathing across to the other side of the pool and back (approximately 25 yards total). 
• Swimmers arms must clear the water on the recovery, and they must demonstrate sufficient strength to swim back to the wall after jumping off the side of the deep end.

Upon successful completion of the test, swimmers are issued a wristband which indicates to the lifeguards that they have passed the deep end swim test. Wristbands can be confiscated for failure to obey facility rules. 

To take the swim test, please ask the lifeguard at the tower in the middle of the dive pool to call someone over to administer the test.

When can I go swimming?
PH Aquatic Park is usually open Memorial Day to Labor Day for public swimming. When school is still in session, the pool is open weekends and Holidays, 1:00-5:00 pm. During the summer the schedule usually is:

Mon/Wed/Thurs, 1:30-4:00 pm
Friday-Sunday, 1:00-5:00 pm

Check the Public Swim Schedule on our website to confirm the dates. The 2026 Public Swim season will be May 23 through September 7, 2026.

What is the cost to swim? Do I have to be a member? 
There are no membership fees, and admission for the 2026 season is FREE.

Children 8 years and under must be accompanied in the water by an adult (18 years and older). Children 12 years and under must be accompanied in the facility by an adult.

Can I buy a swim pass for the pool?
Public swim is FREE for the 2026 season.  We will not be offering public swim passes. 

Can I bring water toys?
Small toys such as dive rings may be brought in during public swim. Large toys, noodles, snorkel masks (including goggles that cover the nose), fins, kick boards or inflatables are not allowed during public swim.

Can I swim laps during public swim?
Lap lanes are not available during public swim. If you are looking to swim for exercise, please see our Lap Swim Program.

Why do you have a rest break? Who can be in the water during the rest break?
We hold a 15-minute rest break during public swim. Mon/Wed/Thurs, the rest break is at 2:45 pm. Fri/Sat/Sun and Holidays, a rest break is held at 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. During the rest break, only adults (18+) and adults with children 2 years and under can be in the pool. All children need to remain away from the edge of the pool during the rest break (they may not sit with feet in the pool). The rest break is intended to give children an opportunity to rest out of the water and use the restroom (instead of the pool). 

The rest break is also for the lifeguards, giving them an additional break out of the sun to cool off, re-apply sunscreen, have a snack and get some water.

Do you have life jackets available for use? Can I bring my own life jacket?
US Coast Guard Approved Life Jackets are allowed during recreation swim, with arms reach adult supervision. You may bring your own life jacket, or borrow one from us.

Can I use water wings?
Water wings are not allowed in the facility. Water wings are inflatable toys and they give a false sense of security to parents and young children. If your child has not yet mastered swimming and needs assistance in the water, we have a couple of alternatives to water wings:

• Invest in a US Coast Guard Approved Life Jackets. Check the label inside the life jacket to verify that it is US Coast Guard Approved. If you don’t have your own life jacket, we have some loaners available.
• Enroll in our swimming lessons, in order to improve your child’s swimming skills.

Are Food/Coolers Allowed?
Yes, we allow food and coolers to be brought into the facility. Please do not bring any glass containers or alcohol. All bags and coolers are subject to search for prohibited items.

Is there a Snack Shack at the pool?
There is a snack shack at PH Aquatic Park, run by the Teen Center. The snack shack is open in the summer (when school is out of session), Monday-Friday, 12:30-5:00 pm.

What happens if there is poor air quality?

Air Quality Index

• The fall is more prone to poor air quality due to California’s wildfire season, although poor air quality can happen any time of the year. The District monitors the Air Quality Index (AQI) on the site www.airnow.gov.
• When AQI is ORANGE (101-149, Unhealthy for sensitive groups), programs will be held, but participants with increased health risks should consider reducing their exposure by choosing less strenuous outdoor activities or shortening the time they are active outside.
• When the AQI is RED (150 or higher, Unhealthy), the pool will be closed and all programs canceled. If the District is unable to make-up canceled classes, we will issue refunds/credits for classes canceled due to the Air Quality.
• We will make a decision about 2:00 pm each day regarding opening or closing for afternoon programs, so that we have time to notify impacted customers. Staff will also monitor conditions on the pool deck during program. In the event changing conditions result in a closure in the middle of program, staff will call parents to pick participants up as soon as possible.
• To be notified of pool closures, please sign up for the Alert Center on our website.

To sign up for the Alert Center:

• Go to https://pleasanthillrec.com/list.aspx 
• Enter your email address and click “sign in”.
• The page will re-fresh and you can scroll down the page, clicking on the icons (email and text) you would like to subscribe to.
• Scroll down the page until you reach the “Alert Center” section. You can then select email and/or text alerts (see below for text instructions) for all of the options under the Alert Center (and on the page).
• You have to confirm your email address before you will receive any notifications.
• Please add listserv@civicplus.com to your safe list so that notifications are not blocked by your spam filter.

For Text Alerts (message/data rates apply):

• After you enter your email address and click “sign-in”, check the box next to “I would like to be able to receive text messages on my mobile phone”.
• Enter your phone number in the box and click “Save”.
• After selecting the alerts you would like to receive via text message, you will receive a text message with a confirmation (this may take a couple of minutes). 
• Follow the instructions to confirm your phone number and SMS subscription.