St. Mary’s County Recreation and Parks will end operations at the Great Mills Swimming Pool on Thursday, April 30, 2026, after 23 years of serving the community with indoor and outdoor aquatics programs.
The facility at Great Mills will transition to new management under the St. Mary’s County Family YMCA, part of YMCA of the Chesapeake. It is expected to reopen this summer as an outdoor pool. The move aligns with broader efforts to expand wellness and aquatics options in the county, including the development of a new YMCA facility adjacent to Great Mills High School.
Public drop-in daily admission remains available through the end of April at $8 for adults and $6 for youth and seniors. Current Great Mills Swimming Pool pass holders receive a 50 percent discount on daily admission rates during this final period. Any valid punch passes not redeemed by April 30 can be used at the Wellness and Aquatics Center in Leonardtown through their expiration dates.
A community appreciation event is scheduled for Monday, April 20, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the pool. All pool members, staff and instructors are invited to enjoy light refreshments and receive a goodie bag. Representatives from the YMCA will be on site from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions about future operations.
The pool features a 25-yard by 25-meter layout with six lanes, zero-depth entry and a maximum depth of nine feet. It has operated seasonally with an inflatable dome roof from September through May and as an outdoor pool during summer months.
The inflatable dome roof is now available for purchase through an online auction. Details are listed at www.govdeals.com.
Additional information about the facility’s future operations under YMCA management will be available through YMCA of the Chesapeake at www.ymcachesapeake.org.
For questions about current operations or passes, residents can contact St. Mary’s County Recreation and Parks by email at RPinfo@stmaryscountymd.gov.
The transition marks the conclusion of county-operated aquatics at this location while continuing public access to swimming in Southern Maryland. The Great Mills area has long served families from Lexington Park, California and surrounding communities with year-round programs when the dome is in place. Many local residents learned to swim, participated in water fitness classes or competed in youth swim teams at the facility over the past two decades.
St. Mary’s County continues to invest in recreational infrastructure. The upcoming YMCA campus is planned as a larger health and wellness hub that will include expanded aquatics alongside childcare and other programs. This partnership aims to provide more comprehensive services to meet growing demand in the rapidly developing southern part of the county.
Southern Maryland families have expressed appreciation for the consistent access the Great Mills pool provided, particularly during colder months when the covered dome allowed indoor swimming. The appreciation event on April 20 offers a chance for the community to thank longtime staff, instructors and fellow swimmers who made the facility a local gathering place.
Daily operations wind down after April 30 with no county programs continuing at the site. The YMCA is expected to announce its summer schedule and membership details in the coming weeks as preparations for the outdoor season advance.
The change reflects coordinated planning between county government and the YMCA to enhance long-term recreational offerings while maintaining affordable access to swimming for residents across St. Mary’s County.
