Montgomery County Recreation Department announced that its outdoor pool season will continue through Oct. 4.

Normally Montgomery County opens its seven outdoor pools over Memorial Day Weekend and they close after Labor Day Weekend. This summer, however, pools weren’t allowed to open until Montgomery County entered its second coronavirus reopening phase. So, Montgomery County’s pools remained closed for the entire month of June and didn’t reopen until July 6.

Robin Riley, the director of Montgomery County Recreation, explained in a statement that the reason for the extension is to make up for the shortened summer pool season.

“Our staff continues to look for out of the box solutions—such as keeping pools open beyond the typical end of the summer season—in order to allow residents extended opportunities to focus on their physical and mental wellbeing,” Riley said.

Bethesda, Germantown and Martin Luther King, Jr. outdoor pools will remain open through Sunday, Oct. 4. Glenmont Wheaton Outdoor Pool will also stay open through Oct. 4 but will operate on a modified schedule beginning Sept. 21. Long Branch, Upper County, and Western outdoor pools will close for the season Sunday, Sept. 20

Bethesda, Germantown and Martin Luther King, Jr. outdoor pools will continue their two-hour recreational swim sessions, but will also have 45 minute early morning lap swimming available. Reservations—which are encouraged but not required—can be made a week in advance.

Daily admission to outdoor county pools will remain available to Montgomery County residents only—be sure to bring proof of residency to each aquatics facility. The outdoor pools will also continue to be available for current pool pass holders. Pool passes were originally set to expire Sept. 7, but they’ve been extended through Oct. 4, “at no cost and will continue to be accepted for admission to any outdoor pool.”

Deirdre Byrne