Baltimore County steps in to keep Randallstown, Dundalk pools open

For decades, Baltimore County has had no public pools where residents can swim for free. Most swimming facilities are private — in gyms, country clubs or apartment buildings — and county officials have long struggled to expand access.

That will soon change: The county announced this week that it will take over management of the pools in Randallstown and Dundalk after The Y in Central Maryland swim centers cease operations on Aug. 31.

When the Y announced in April that it would no longer renew its leases in Dundalk and Randallstown, it looked as if the county would have no low-cost swimming options for residents.

“I didn’t shed any tears. I saw it as an opportunity,” said Baltimore County Council member Julian Jones, who has made expanding free access to pools a priority.

Baltimore City has invested millions of dollars in pools and has 16 indoor and outdoor facilities that are free for residents, but the county has none. That dates to when federal courts ordered the integration of once-segregated facilities and suburbs filled in the public pools with cement rather than comply.

The county tried to develop plans to build public pools, but nothing got off the ground. Instead, officials have sought to provide low-cost alternatives.

The county partnered with the Y to provide affordable options for residents of Dundalk and Randallstown. Since 2009, the Y has leased the Randallstown pool for $1 per year. The organization offers two public swim sessions per week for non-YMCA members and costs about $20 per year for a family of four.

Many people have called for improvements to the facility, including upgrades to the locker rooms.

The Y also leased the pool in Dundalk, which reopened last year after five years and $3.26 million in renovations.

This past spring, the Y said it was not sustainable to keep operating the pools at both locations.

The Y and Baltimore County “mutually agreed” not to renew the operating agreement for the Dundalk and Randallstown pools “following thoughtful discussions about how we can best serve our communities,” Meg O’Hara, a spokesperson for the Y, said in a statement.

The county looked for other vendors to operate both aquatic centers before deciding to step up. It has budgeted $200,000 to continue funding operations at both locations through the end of the pilot program, which is expected to last from September through the summer of 2027, said Dakarai Turner, a county spokesperson.

That is a step in the right direction, said State Sen. Carl Jackson, who represents parts of Baltimore County and has long advocated for free pool access for residents. But he said it’s not enough.

“I’m excited to hear that the county is taking over those two locations, but there’s more to be done,” he said. “That won’t be sufficient for the entire county, but it’s a great start.”

Jackson worked with the Community College of Baltimore County to establish free swim hours this summer at three locations. “I just thought that was a temporary Band-Aid that didn’t require additional tax dollars to be spent,” he said. “We were tired of hearing we can go to the beach.”

Turner said the county does not yet have details on the operating schedules at Randallstown and Dundalk, which will be informed by a survey and community listening sessions in mid-August. For now, the county’s recreation and parks department will provide 70 hours of weekly operations at both pools throughout the fall and winter.