As summer draws to a close, we hope you enjoyed many fun and safe water based activities with friends and family. Sadly, due to forest fires, we have recently had the worst air quality in the country and guidance to stay indoors. This is a reminder of the role an aquatic center plays as a vital community resource.

Thank you for your continued support! We would not be able to do the important work we are doing without you. We are stronger & better together!

SPLASHForward

The next step in the process to update the master plan for Bellevue Airfield Park and explore inclusion of an aquatic center, will be in person on Thursday, Sept 22nd 6:30 - 8:00 pm at the South Bellevue Community Center at 14509 SE Newport Way. 

Draft park plan options will be shared and you'll be invited to give your feedback on park components and priorities. This input will inform the recommended option that will be presented to the city council. Let's show up and help put a pool in the plan!

If you live, work, or play in Bellevue, take Parks and Community Service's survey and add your voice in support of an aquatic center.

Join SPLASHForward the following week on Tuesday September 27th from 6 - 7:30pm at the Bellevue Public Library to recap the City's meeting and share in discussion on the aquatic center, it's scope and benefits within the park.

The City of Bellevue Parks and SPLASHForward's 130,000 sq ft preferred concept plan includes...

Kirkland has selected Opsis Architecture to lead their Recreation and Aquatics Feasibility Study that is underway. For aquatics, Counsilman-Hunsaker and Ballard*King are part of the team.

Kirkland's Park Funding and Exploratory Committee, on which SPLASHForward is serving, has it's first meeting this week and will meet twice a month through early spring 2023.

In early August, we held our first Introduction to Aquatics & Water Safety Summer Camp in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue, Rainier Athletes, Samena Swim & Recreation Club, and WA State Boating Program. It was a huge hit all around!

Eleven middle school students with little to no swimming skills joined us for five days of water safety learning, swim lessons, confidence boosting, and *alot* of water fun. For some this was their first time in the water in a year or more. For all, this was their first formal swim lessons

Check out our Instagram reels for action footage of the fun we had with our campers! We loved working with and getting to know each of our campers!!

"Genuine collaboration is an environment that promotes communication, learning, maximum contribution, and innovation.” Jane Ripley

A huge THANK YOU to our region's lifeguards who put in the hours at our pools and beaches helping keep our community safe around water. Lifeguards keep our pools and beaches open so that we not only can safely enjoy the water, but also have access to develop the essential skills to be confident in, on, and around water.

Congratulations to the five high school students we supported in August to become lifeguards. They bring us to 52 total students supported in 2022! We are still going and continue to refine our program with an exciting partnership coming this fall!

We are offering monthly opportunties. Check it out our program and sign up!

Two of our recent lifeguards have special stories that we are excited to share with you!

Meet Artin! Artin signed up with our program in May and told us it was his dream to become a lifeguard. He showed up ready to learn, but we discovered Artin had very little swim skills and didn't pass the training prerequisites. So we setup a plan to provide him with ongoing skill assessment, swim lessons, and plenty of practice time at the Bellevue Aquatic Center. After putting in the work, strong communication with us, and maintaining his positive mindset, Artin proudly became a lifeguard in August and now has a lifeguarding job.

Meet Liem! Liem and his mom reached out after seeing our lifeguard training program online. Liem, an incredible athlete and swimmer, was born with a limb difference and a big heart with the desire to serve others. We arranged time to practice the lifeguard training prerequisites and tune up his swimming. He quickly adapted to the prerequisite skills and proved he was more than ready. Liem also became a lifeguard without modifications to the training in August giving him a huge boost in confidence.

More coming on their stories, stay tuned!

An all-time dog and community favorite is the City of Kirkland's end of summer See Spot Splash event held at their summer-only outdoor community pool, Peter Kirk Pool.