Peter Kirk Pool - Facility Rules  

Peter Kirk Facility: MAX 310 | Main Pool Area: MAX of 270 | Wading Pool Area: MAX of 40 

ALL SWIMMERS MUST TAKE A CLEANSING SHOWER BEFORE ENTERING THE WATER. 

General Pool Rules: 

• No swimming when lifeguards are not present.  

• Aquatics staff have authority to enforce all pool rules. Disciplinary action is at the discretion of the Aquatics Staff. Patrons who repeatedly violate the rules may be asked to exit the facility without a refund. 

• Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use are prohibited. This includes electronic cigarettes. 

• Patrons under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be removed from the facility. 

• No running, pushing, throwing, dunking, breath holding, excessive splashing, carrying someone on your back, spitting/discharge of any bodily waste, or horseplay of any kind. 

• Fighting, vandalism, harassment, PDA, inappropriate language, or violent behavior will not be tolerated and will result in immediate expulsion from the facility. 

• Snorkels and face masks covering eyes and nose are not permitted (swim goggles not covering the nose are acceptable) 

• Water wings or other non-coast guard approved personal inflatables are not permitted. 

• Mermaid suits or mono-fins are not permitted. 

• Jumping off, diving off, or playing on diving blocks will not be permitted. 

• No prolonged underwater swimming for time and/or distance. Competitive and/or repetitive breath holding can be deadly and is not permitted. 

• The pool deck and locker room floors are slippery when wet. 

• All children 10 years and under must be always accompanied by an adult age 18 or older to enter the Peter Kirk Pool Facility. 

• Children six (6) years of age and younger must be directly supervised by an adult (18 years or older) in the water and be always within an arm’s length distance. 

• A maximum of three (3) children six (6) years of age or under are permitted in the water per adult. 

• Diving is allowed in designated areas only. No diving in shallow water (Shallow Water Areas are marked “No Diving”). Any jumping should be made straight off the edge and into the pool. Front and back flips, back dives and twirls are not permitted when jumping in the pool from the pool edge. 

• All jumps must be forward and feet first from the pool deck. 

• Ladders, handrails, and chair lifts are to be used only for entering or exiting the pool. Playing on ladders, handrails and chairlifts is not permitted.  

• All children 12 and under must take our Deep Water Swim Test in order to go into the deep end and diving well of the Peter Kirk Pool.  

• Non-swimmers, under the age of 13 must stay in shallow water (chest deep) unless they are with a parent in water no deeper than the parent’s chests.  

• Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted within the facility and are to be consumed in designated areas only. 

• Main Pool: The upper main pool deck  

• Wading Pool: The grass area by the wading pool. 

• Glass is not permitted within the facility. 

• Gum or gum chewing is not allowed within the facility. 

• No food or beverages other than water are allowed on the pool deck or in the pool water. 

• Anyone with seizure, heart, or circulatory problems should swim with a buddy and alert the staff in case of emergency. 

• Diseases and Illness: Patrons with communicable diseases or illnesses within the last two (2) weeks shall not use the pool. This may include but is not limited to persons having skin lesions, sore or inflamed eyes, mouth, nose or ear discharge or diarrhea or vomiting. 

• Bringing any animal, other than a service animal (dog) onto the immediate premise is prohibited. Service animals may not enter water. 

• Appropriate swim attire is required at all times when using the pool. 

• Fringe cut-offs, denim, and cotton garments are not permitted in the main and wading pool. 

• Bathing suits must be family friendly, all thongs and revealing attire will not be permitted within the facility. 

• Infants and toddlers who are not toilet trained must wear a swim diaper and have a tight-fitting protective covering (Per State Health Code) 

• Diapers must be changed in the designated changing areas in locker rooms.  

• Disposable diapers are not permitted in the pool. 

Water Toys & Flotation Devices: 

• Water toys will be allowed at the discretion of the lifeguard on duty. 

• Large floatation devices are not permitted in the pool unless otherwise noted for special events.  

• Small personal floatation devices may be permitted at the lifeguard’s discretion. 

Lifejacket Loaner Stations: 

• Coast Guard Approved Lifejackets are available at any public swim. If a lifejacket is needed, please speak with any lifeguards on duty in the lifeguard office. 

• Children wearing a lifejacket must be always supervised in water from within arm’s length distance from an adult.  

• Parents may take children wearing a lifejacket into depths no higher than chest deep. 

• Lifejackets are Not Permitted in the diving well. 

Public Swim Lap Swim Equipment and Etiquette: 

• Snorkels and fins are allowed for those lap swimming.  

• Swimmers should remove fins as they exit the pool.  

• Walking on the pool deck in fins is not permitted. 

• Kickboards are available during lap swimming, lessons, and swim team. 

• Sitting, standing, or throwing kickboards is not permitted. 

• Using kickboards on diving blocks will not be permitted. 

• All patrons using the Public Swim Lap Lane must: 

• Be swimming laps. Patrons wanting to use this lane for exercising must get permission from the lifeguard if the lane is not being occupied by lap swimmers. 

• Individuals not swimming laps in the lap lanes (splashing, playing, etc.) may be asked to leave.  

• Must Circle Swim when there are two or more swimmers in the lap lane. 

Locker Room Rules and Etiquette: 

• Children 6 and under may not be left unattended in the locker rooms. 

• Photography or video recording is strictly prohibited in locker rooms. 

• Food or drink are not permitted in the locker room. 

• The City of Kirkland is not responsible for items lost or stolen from the locker rooms. 

• Unclaimed lost and found items are donated one week after they are found. 

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY: Call 911 

• Emergency phone is located in the Lifeguard Office. 

• Pool Address: 340 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033  

• First Aid Kit and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is located in the Lifeguard Office. 

DIVING BOARD RULES 

ALL CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER MUST TAKE OUR DEEP WATER SWIM TEST IN ORDER TO USE THE DIVING BOARD.  

• Goggles/masks and Lifejackets are not permitted to be worn off the diving board. 

• Running is not permitted on or near the diving board. Please walk! 

• Swimming, playing, and/or diving in the designated diving board splashdown area is not permitted unless the diving board is closed. 

• Swimming and/or playing under the diving board is not permitted unless the diving board is closed. 

• When using the Diving Board please make sure that: 

• One patron at a time.  

• Patrons must swim directly to the nearest ladder and leave the diving area.  

• The next patron must wait until the splashdown area is cleared before climbing up the stairs. 

• One bounce per dive is allowed. 

• Divers must jump straight from the front of the board. 

• The following behavior is not permitted on the diving board: 
  Cartwheels, handstands, running dives, flipping, sit dives, hanging off the diving board, Jumping off of the board into someone’s arms. 

• Only Pool Staff can adjust the fulcrum from the side of the Diving Board.  

• Lifejackets are Not Permitted off the Diving Board or in the diving well. 

• Lifeguards may ask an individual to retest at any point in the season to ensure that they are safe to swim in deep water or go off the Diving Board.  

• The Diving Board can be closed at the lifeguard’s discretion at any time. 
  
  Peter Kirk Pool – Deep Water Swim Test 
  ALL CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER MUST TAKE OUR DEEP WATER SWIM TEST IN ORDER TO GO INTO THE DEEP END AND DIVING WELL OF THE PETER KIRK POOL.  

• This test is to show a swimmer’s confidence in the water and ability to safely enter, resurface, continuously swim 25 yards without assistance or touching the wall, and exit the pool in deep water.  

  This test is done by a lifeguard in the deep end of the pool. 

  To pass the Deep-Water Swim Test, a swimmer must complete all of the following: 

  Goggles and Lifejackets are not allowed to be worn during the Deep Water Swim Test.

  1. The swimmer must jump into the deep end of the pool feet first and resurface.  

  2. The swimmer must then immediately start to swim to the far end of the pool (25 yards)  

  3. The swimmer must swim continuously without assistance, stopping, or touching/holding the wall – briefly stopping to breathe is allowed.  

  4. Swimmers must show confident/strong swimming mechanics by only using freestyle, front crawl, or breaststroke – Swimmers must remain horizontal on top of the water and have some level of proficiency in the swim stroke. Underwater swimming is not permitted.  

  5. Swimmers must also have controlled rhythmic breathing (side-breathing or quick pop-up breathing)  

  6. At the end of the 25-yard swim, the swimmer must exit the swimming pool either by steps, ladder, or side.  
     
     

  • If a swimmer does not pass the Deep-Water Swim Test, the lifeguard will let the swimmer know what they need to work on in order to pass the test.  

  • Testing seasonally ensures that the child demonstrates their swim ability to stay safe each time they are in and around the water. 

  • For swimmers that have passed, their swim test results are recorded for the season, and those who pass can pick up their wrist bands at the lifeguard office.  

  • Lifeguards may ask an individual to retest at any point in the season to ensure that they are safe to swim in deep water.  

WADING POOL AREA RULES 

The Wading Pool area has a maximum occupancy of 40 people permitted inside the gate area at all times. This includes those in the Wading Pool water and on the Wading Pool deck. 

THE WADING POOL IS FOR CHILDREN 6 YEARS AND UNDER AND THEIR PARENTS. 

• No diving in the Wading Pool. All patrons entering the wading pool must enter feet first.  

• All patrons should avoid swallowing the pool water or allowing water into their mouth. 

• Spitting or discharge of any bodily waste is prohibited in the pool. 

• All children 10 years and under must be always accompanied by an adult age 18 or older to enter the Peter Kirk Pool Facility. 

• Children six (6) years of age and younger must be directly supervised by an adult (18 years or older) in the water and be always within an arm’s length distance. 

• A maximum of three (3) children six (6) years of age or under are permitted in the water per adult. 

• Infants and toddlers who are not toilet trained must wear a swim diaper and have a tight-fitting protective covering (Per State Health Code) 

• Diapers must be changed in the designated changing areas in locker rooms.  

• Disposable diapers are not permitted in the pool. 

• Water toys will be allowed at the discretion of the lifeguard on duty. 

• Small personal floatation devices may be permitted at the lifeguard’s discretion. 

• Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted within the facility and are to be consumed in designated areas only. 

• Glass is not permitted within the facility. 

• Gum or gum chewing is not allowed within the facility. 

• No food or beverages other than water are allowed on the pool deck or in the pool water.