Metropolitan Park District and the Shoreline Pool
Saturday, June 20, 2026
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| Concept design for new Shoreline Pool |
The City of Shoreline is putting a proposition on the November ballot to create a Metropolitan Park District to build, maintain, and operate a pool facility.
What is a metropolitan park district?
A metropolitan park district (MPD) is a junior property taxing district with special taxing authority for the management, control, improvement, maintenance, and acquisition of parks, pathways, boulevards, recreational facilities, programs, and services.
What would the Shoreline MPD cover?
The Shoreline MPD would be created for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining the proposed recreational pool facility and for potential future recreational facilities.
How big would the pool facility be and where would it be located?
Based on the current preliminary design, the facility would be approximately 48,000 square feet and include the following:
- 8-lane, 25-yard, lap pool with starting platforms, two 1m diving boards, stepped entry, ramp and lift access
- recreation pool with stepped entry, ramp, lift access, and a lazy river/current channel for water walking and floating
- hydrotherapy pool with stepped entry and lift access
- sauna
- universal change rooms with individual rooms, stalls, and private and deck showers
- pool spectator area with flexible seating options
- lobby with seating, pool viewing area, and snack bar
- classroom and party room
- staff area and service spaces
- green spaces between the building and street with connection to the Interurban Trail
Where would the pool facility be built?
The pool would be built north of City Hall on City-owned property at 17828 Midvale Ave N.
How much would this pool facility cost to build?
The total cost to build the pool facility is estimated to be about $100 million. This total includes design, permitting, construction, paying off the property purchase, and related fees and contingencies. The proposed MPD revenue would be used to finance $95 million of one-time project costs, with the balance funded with a grant from King County.
The $100 million estimated capital construction cost includes $16.6 million to pay off the remaining property purchase.
How much would it cost to operate and maintain the pool?
Current cost estimates show operations and maintenance costs for the first five years averaging about $4.4 million with anticipated revenue from user and rental fees bringing in about $2.9 million. This means that the anticipated revenue generated from user and rental fees would cover 66% of the costs to operate and maintain the pool facility. The remaining 34%, approximately $1.5 million, would be provided from the ongoing MPD property tax. By subsidizing some of the operations and maintenance costs with MPD revenue, we can keep the costs lower for users, making the pool more accessible and affordable.
Does the current proposal to construct a pool facility include constructing a recreation facility
No. The current proposal is just to build a pool facility. However, creation of the Shoreline MPD would allow for the construction of recreation facilities in the future should additional funding be available.
Who pays the property tax for the MPD?
Property owners within the boundaries of the Shoreline MPD, which are the same as the boundaries of the City of Shoreline, would pay the property tax.
How much would the property tax cost property owners?
Preliminary cost estimates for property owners are in the table below.
Why did the former Shoreline Pool close?
King County built the former Shoreline Pool, a 6-lane lap pool, in 1971. By 2020, the pool had reached the end of its useful life and needed significant repairs, maintenance, and upgrades to keep it operational. After years of providing emergency repairs to keep the aging facility open, the City decided to close that facility. The City initially scheduled the closure for September 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City permanently closed the pool in June 2020.
Additional information here
King County built the former Shoreline Pool, a 6-lane lap pool, in 1971. By 2020, the pool had reached the end of its useful life and needed significant repairs, maintenance, and upgrades to keep it operational. After years of providing emergency repairs to keep the aging facility open, the City decided to close that facility. The City initially scheduled the closure for September 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City permanently closed the pool in June 2020.
Additional information here
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8 comments:
In Edmonds, just north of Syre, a 1.2 million home for sale had annual taxes of $6500. In Shoreline the taxes would be well more than 10000. Why should I pay so much more? Why vote to pay more?
Way too spendy.
Maybe y’all should focus on building sidewalks around the transportation corridor around the light rail stations instead of waiting for the developers to build in front of each of their units. Really love the priorities of a swimming pool over safety, whoever is behind this as a priority needs to rethink their priorities.
Prohibitively expensive! This increases my taxes way too much for something I will never use, and I believe most people will not use. No, no, no!
C'mon designers. I'm sure you can come up with something more complicated that will cost more to build and maintain. Heaven forbid a pool be a rectangle with shallow and deep ends. If you go ahead with this I expect state-of-the-art green building - cisterns to retain water for all that grass you use everywhere; solar and wind power generation. AND several stationary bicycles attached to small generators so parents watching their kids in swim lessons can provide pedal-power to help keep the pumps running.
Definitely needs
water slides like the lynnwood pool.This would be a great addition for family’s as well as the elderly.
As a senior I think this sounds great! We need more safe spaces to walk like in a pool. And my grandchildren need a place to become good swimmers. I agree sidewalks are important too but the health of those who cannot afford a fancy club membership is also really important.
I’m voting for this even though I won’t use it that much. It will benefit our community by giving both young and old access to a local amenity. The measure of a robust community is the willingness of its residents to invest in nice things!
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