The Aquatic and Fitness Center is undergoing a significant renovation project as the facility surpasses 25 years since opening. Please refer to this page for a schedule of facility closures and updates on the project’s progress. Patrons are encouraged to sign up for our facility alerts email list for the most up to date information on changes to facility availability.
Facility Closure Calendar
The following dates are subject to change. Please refer to the Pool Hours page for detailed hours of operation and lane charts.
| Dates | Facility | Impact | Are these closure dates confirmed or projected? | Closure Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, November 13 - Saturday, November 24 | Recreation Pool | The Recreation Pool and its adjoining amenities will be closed. | Confirmed | Additional open swim hours will be offered in the Competition Pool. |
| Monday, December 11 - Tuesday, December 26 | Recreation Pool | The Recreation Pool and its adjoining amenities will be closed. | Confirmed | Additional open swim hours will be offered in the Competition Pool. |
| Monday, January 29 - Friday, February 2 | Group Ex Room, Locker Rooms, Lower Fitness, Lobby Area | Multiple areas will be closed | Confirmed | |
| Tuesday February 20 - Friday February 23 | Wet Hallway/Guard Office Area | The hallway from the locker rooms to the pools will be closed | Confirmed | Please use alternate lower lobby entrances for the pool areas |
| March 18th - TBD due to delay | Elevator | Handicap patrons should park in the handicap spots around the back of the building near Potomac Heights Parking Lot. From there, proceed to doors B17 next to the Rec Pool. You will be able to enter the lower level of the facility by calling the front desk (703-993-3939) and a staff member will come meet you at the doors. Due to a wiring issue, this project will continue past the original end date. | Confirmed | Handicap patrons will have an alternative route to access the lower level of the AFC using the Recreation Pool doors. |
| Monday March 25th - Thursday May 9th | Recreation Pool | The Recreation Pool and its adjoining amenities will be closed in the morning and afternoon on weekdays. Open swim will begin at 4:00pm on weekdays. | Confirmed | Additional open swim hours will be offered in the Competition Pool on Monday and Wednesday nights. Open swim in the Recreation Pool is available regular hours on weekends and beginning at 4:00pm on weekdays. |
| Monday, May 6 - Thursday, September 5 | Competition Pool | The Competition Pool will be closed. | Projected |
Progress Updates
Progress updates for April, 2024-June, 2024 were lost during the website transition. We apologize for any inconvenience.
August 19, 2024
During the month of July, the following work took place:
- Demo of competition pool tile was completed
- West Kalwall was completed in competition pool
- Fitness floor replacement for lower level fitness was approved
- Domestic hot water improvements were approved
March 1, 2024
During the month of February, the following work took place:
- Competition pool skylights completed
- Installation of new skylights in Recreation Pool began
- Fire Alarm System testing
- Continued elevator work
In April, we plan to see the competition pool painting completed, elevator inspected and operational, removal of HVAC and installation of new units.
February 1, 2024
During the month of January, the following work took place:
- Continued work on skylights in the competition pool
- Preparation work to recreation pool for installation of new skylights
- Installation of a new heater pump for recreation pool
- Installation of wiring for new fire alarm system
In March, we plan to see completion of skylights, framing for new lights in competition pool, painting of competition pool area, elevator work.
January 1, 2024
During the month of December, the VAV boxes were replaced, inspected and commissioned throughout the facility. Roof work in the Recreation Pool began which included steel framing preparation of new skylights and replacement of roof drains.
In February, we are planning for more roof work; submission and approval for new heater pumps for the pools, wiring and installation of a new fire alarm system.
December 1, 2023
The Recreation Pool experienced a mechanical issue with its pumps that prevented it from reopening as expected following the end of the planned construction period. Unfortunately, this mechanical issue coincided with a university-wide outage of the email marketing platform that is used to send facility alerts to patrons. We apologize for any under- or miscommunication about the Recreation Pool’s status during this time period. The Recreation Pool reopened Thursday, November 30 at noon.
Extensive work continues on the roof at the AFC. It is expected that the final skylight installation will be complete by the end of February. Work to replace the variable air volume (VAV) system that regulates temperature and airflow throughout the building begins in December.
November 10, 2023
New entry doors at the AFC have been incorporated into this project. The new doors will comply with the University’s controlled access standards.
November 3, 2023
On the evening of October 27, a large crane was brought in to lift new steel beams to the roof of the AFC for installation. The current area of construction focus is the Competition Pool roof.
October 25, 2023
Temporary lighting above the Competition Pool has been improved to provide superior visibility during open swim, team practices and swim meets. The painting of the walls in the Competition Pool is complete with painting of the ceiling to occur in the spring. The skylights above the Competition Pool have been removed and will be replaced. Temporary roofing has been installed to protect the interior of the building.
During the October closure of the Recreation Pool, beams were installed near the ceiling to allow for work on the skylights. The old skylights were removed, and work will proceed to finish the installation of the new skylights. The Recreation Pool will be closed beginning Monday, November 13 and is expected to reopen on Saturday, November 25 after the Thanksgiving holiday. Additional open swim time will be offered in the Competition Pool during this closure.
Additional areas of progress include:
- Work to repair shower plumbing in the locker rooms is complete
- Upgrades to the fire alarm system, elevator, and HVAC units is underway
- Replacement of exterior doors added to the scope of the project
- Heat pumps replaced in the Recreation and Competition Pools
September 20, 2023
Progress has been made on the men’s locker room repair. The underlying pipe and drain work is complete, and final repairs of the floor are impending. We currently anticipate being able to safely reopen the men’s locker room to patrons no later than Friday, September 29. Completion of this project will rectify persistent drainage issues in and around the showers.
The men’s and women’s locker rooms will undergo a brief closure to complete the resurfacing of the floor in both spaces. Work is scheduled to begin Friday, October 6 with an expected completion date of Monday, October 9.
Work to replace the skylights in the Competition Pool began this week. Skylight work will begin in the Recreation Pool Monday, October 2 with an expected completion date of Monday, October 16. The Recreation Pool will be closed during this time due to allow construction to take place. Additional open swim will be offered in the Competition Pool to compensate for lanes lost in the Recreation Pool.
Painting of the Competition Pool has been completed, transitioning the space from a muted beige color to a brighter white.
A new scoreboard has been installed in the Competition Pool. This scoreboard will amplify the athlete and spectator experience at swim meets hosted at the AFC.
August 21, 2023
The floating dance floor (staging hanging from the rafters to install skylights, paint, and lighting) is completed. This will allow for work to continue on the ceiling while still having the comp pool open.
Painting the entire area has begun. It will be much brighter in this space with the new LED lights with white walls.
The women’s locker room is now reopened for use. However, there has been an issue with the men’s locker room, and the timeline for its reopening is currently to be determined.
As shown in the attached image, there is a persisting pipe issue within the men’s locker room.
The Competition Pool is still on schedule to open the first week of September. We will post signs when we have a definitive date.
July 14, 2023
The AFC is undergoing a major capital project to address ongoing issues and replacing outdated systems and equipment. The project will be completed in phases which will include new lights, skylights, glass panels, paint, pool interior, bulkheads, HVAC, elevator, fire alarm panel, and repairing of the drain lines in the men’s and women’s showers.
The initial work is to install a floating dance floor from the ceiling in which the work can be done for the skylights, lights, and painting. All safety measures are in place to prevent any construction debris from falling off the dance floor onto the pool deck or into the pool. Once this is in place the competition pool will be reopened.
The locker room repairs will be done this summer with the goal of the showers reopening by mid-August.
Mason Recreation appreciates your patience and understanding as we navigate through this project. Our goal is to have a facility that is safe and at the same time, provides our patrons a positive experience.