City of Mountlake Terrace considering future of Recreation Pavilion

By Diane Hettrick

Here's a story familiar to Shoreline residents. The Rec Pavilion in Mountlake Terrace is aging, should have been replaced 15 years ago, parts are no longer available, and it has reached a point where something has to be done.

When Shoreline was faced with this issue, they tore down the pool and planted grass.

MLT ia a small city and swimming pools are very expensive. The Rec Pavilion has extensive use and it's no secret that many of its users live in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park.

Following is an article published in MLTNews.com

Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion
Photo courtesy City of Mountlake Terrace

While beloved for generations, the Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion is worse for the wear. The Mountlake Terrace City Council is scheduled to hear a presentation at its Thursday, Aug. 22 meeting about the status of the building and options that mainly involve renovation or replacement.

“We knew eventually this would be a discussion we’d have to have,” said Jeff Betz, the city’s recreation and parks director. “It’s been recommended for replacement for over 15 years now.”

Betz was citing the work of the Civic Facilities Advisory Task Force, a volunteer group that spent much of 2008 studying city Hall, the police department and the Pavilion.

Since then, not much has changed: The Pavilion is aging beyond repair, and any fix is going to cost money.

The Recreation Pavilion is a distinctive, hexagonal work of 1960s architecture. According to a city news release, its 33,000 square feet host an award-winning pool, plus spaces for dance, fitness, child care, racquetball and an indoor playground. The facility saw 270,000 visits in 2023. That figure is especially striking in a town of 24,260.

Maintenance is challenging: Many of the needed parts no longer are produced. Some repairs would require months of closing the doors. Plumbing and electrical systems look like you walked into a time-warp. Sites like eBay don’t sell these items anymore.

Earlier this year, staff examined the panels of the system that controls the flow of air around the pool. They found spots that were rusted through, something they likened to seeing footage from a shipwreck.

As thecouncil decides next steps, public outreach will be crucial, Betz said.

“There aren’t many public pools anymore, because they’re expensive,” he said. “It’s a lot for one small city to manage by ourselves. We can’t do anything this big without talking to our community first. The Pavilion is an important part of people’s lives.”

City council meetings start at 7 p.m. at city hall and via Zoom. They also are streamed at www.youtube.com/cityofmlt. As a reminder, 24-hour registration is required to provide comment via Zoom. More info: www.cityofmlt.com/129.