Hello Merrimack Families,

After a particularly difficult year, and as clear signs of spring are emerging, I am sure that all of you are looking forward to the Merrimack Pool 2021 season as are we on the Board.

Although vaccinations are becoming increasingly available and Montgomery County is gradually reopening, we still expect to start our season – and quite possibly conduct our full season – with some Covid restrictions.  We do not yet know what these will be, as Montgomery County has not issued regulations for swimming pool operations this summer.

There are some things that we can tell you about this season.  Our current plan is to open on May 15 and close on September 26.  This will result in a season that is 33 percent longer than our 2020 season.  The swim and dive teams will return this season with scheduled practices, although their roster numbers and whether and how they will have meets depends on decisions by the Montgomery County Swim and Diving Leagues (MCSL and MCDL) and the County, decisions that we hope will come soon.

We do expect to start our season with the reservation system that we had last year, and to limit pool entry to those who have reserved a particular time slot.

We don’t know yet whether we can offer in-pool swimming instruction, whether Mack’s Café can reopen, or whether the baby and intermediate pools, sports court, and playground facilities can be used, but we will open these facilities if we can.

Registration and Fees: We will soon begin the registration process for the 2021 season, starting with Equity Members.  This summer we are returning to our normal practice of a base fee for the first adult swimmer in each household and fees for each additional immediate family member.  Fees for the 2021 season have been slightly reduced from what they were in 2019, and are listed at the end of this note.  Those with accounts in good standing from 2020 will receive notification when they can register and make payments on the pool website.  Please do not attempt to register before you receive notification as that will create transaction records that will complicate your account.

Waivers: Last year many of our members chose not to swim during the 2020 season, but instead paid an assessment/waiver fee to keep their accounts active.  We expect that many of those who paid for waivers last summer will return to fully participate this summer. At the same time, recognizing that we are still in extraordinary circumstances with the pandemic, we are once again offering Equity Members and Affiliates in good standing who do not wish to swim this summer the option to pay a 2021 waiver to keep their accounts active. (For Equity Members: as with last season, a waiver this summer will not count against the lifetime limit of three waivers.)

The Board remains committed to operating Merrimack Pool safely and enjoyably for our members.  As it did last summer, that depends heavily on all of you, our members, to respect the restrictions on activities at the pool, obey the instructions of the staff and guards, and respect the sensitivities of other members.  We had a surprisingly and gratifyingly successful season in 2020 despite all the challenges of Covid.  And while things are not back to normal yet, we hope that the 2021 season will be even more enjoyable for all of us than last year.

Summer 2021 Season Dues:

* Equity Members pay for no more than 3 additional family members.

Merrimack Pool Board of Directors