Joining the Pool
How can I find out if new memberships are available? Membership types are listed here. If you are interested in joining Fairfax Swimming Pool, we encourage you to join the waitlist as soon as possible.
Do you have to be a Fairfax City resident to join the pool? No. Anyone may apply to join the Fairfax Swimming Pool. Many of our members live in Fairfax City and nearby Fairfax County neighborhoods.
Are refunds available? No. All membership fees are non-refundable.
If my child wants to join the Fairfax Frogs swim or dive team or the Tadpoles, do I have to be a stockholding member of the pool? Not necessarily. For your child to join the Fairfax Frogs swim or dive team or Tadpoles, you must either have a Limited family membership or a stockholding membership.
What is the difference between “stockholding” and “limited” memberships? Limited memberships offer couples, individuals, and college-level students access to the pool. Stockholding Family memberships provide lower operating dues and guest pass rates, and allow a member to vote for the pool board or for bylaws.
Can I purchase day passes to the pool? No, Fairfax Swimming Pool does not offer pay-as-you-go membership. To enjoy the pool, you must purchase either a stockholding or limited membership.
Can I add a non-family member to my membership? Family memberships, whether Limited or Stockholding, may add temporary additional adults (18 years and older) for an extra $25 per person per year. These temporary additions are automatically removed from the account at the end of the season. Couple, Individual, Student, and August memberships cannot add additional adults to their account.
My father lives with us. Can he use the pool under my membership? Family memberships (limited or stockholding):
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- Defined as up to eight individuals from the same household.
- All members must be added at the time of joining. Additional members may only be added by a Board member upon Board approval.
- Required for children to be eligible to join the swim and/or dive programs.
- May be Stockholding or Limited.
- New families may enjoy Limited membership privileges for up to three consecutive years. Beginning the fourth year, families must purchase stock to retain membership.
Pool Payments
May I drop off my membership application and check at the pool? No, do not bring your application and payment to the pool – the lifeguards cannot accept applications or payments in any form.
How do I handle payment for membership fees? We offer two ways for you to pay — credit card (preferred) and check. To pay your invoice, log into your Fairfax Swimming Pool account and go to the Payments menu, then click on “Make a Payment.” Do not bring your payment to the pool – the lifeguards cannot accept payment in any form.
Guest or Party Passes
Who needs guest or party passes? Any non-member, age 6 months and older, who comes to the pool regardless of whether he/she swims or not. Out-of-town guests (defined as living outside the Northern Virginia area) do not need guest passes.
How can I purchase guest or party passes? Only stockholding and limited family members can purchase guest or party passes. We offer guest passes in multiples of 5, as well as party passes for up to 15 guests and up to 25 guests. Guest and party passes are good for one visit only. Guest and party passes are purchased through your account online and are available for immediate use. Unused guest and party passes expire at the end of each season and are not refundable.
Stockholding Memberships
How does stock vesting work? Purchasing stock represents a long-term commitment to the pool. If you are a member for more than three years, you will be able to sell your stock through the pool and recoup some or all of your investment in accordance with the vesting schedule. For the entirety of your stockholding membership, you will enjoy reduced membership fees and the other benefits as listed on the membership page.
Can I sell my stockholding membership? Vested Fairfax Swimming Pool stockholding members may sell their stockholding membership (unvested stockholding members may request that the pool retire their stockholding membership) to eligible Limited members of the pool.
The first step is to register the stock for sale between January 1 and April 1. Once registered, the pool will assist with selling stockholding memberships to Limited members, in the order the stockholding memberships were registered. As an alternative, the stockholding member may identify a buyer from among the Limited members for a direct sale of the registered stock, and then must notify the pool for Board approval and completion of the sale. The deadline for selling a stockholding membership is April 30th.
If a sale is completed by April 30th, the previous stockholding member will receive up to the prevailing price of the stock (currently $350), based on the following vesting schedule: After three years of stockholding, the stock is one-third vested and the seller will receive one-third of the prevailing price; after four years of stockholding, the stock is two-thirds vested and the seller will receive two-thirds of the prevailing price; and after five years of stockholding, the stock is fully vested and the seller will receive the full prevailing price.
If a sale is not completed by April 30th, the stockholding member may either pay their membership fee and continue their membership or retire their stockholding membership, in which case the stockholding membership returns to the pool with no remuneration to the stockholding member.
Can I retire my stockholding membership? Stockholding members, whether vested or not, can request that the pool retire their stock, in which case the member receives no remuneration for the return of the stock. Also, as discussed above, stockholding memberships that are put up for sale but not sold by the April 30th deadline will be retired, again with no remuneration to the member.
Can I transfer my stockholding membership? You can permanently transfer your stockholding membership to a home buyer or adult descendant of a deceased member. You may assign (temporarily transfer) your stockholding membership to a renter of your property. The stock membership must be in good standing for a transfer or assignment to be accepted and honored by the pool, with no unpaid fees or assessments due. Retired stock memberships are not transferrable.
Assigned stock remains the property of the stockholding member. The stockholding member may request the pool reinstate their account at any time. The person to whom the account was assigned may apply to join the pool with their own membership at any time in accordance with the pool’s membership policy. It is the stockholding member’s responsibility to ensure the dues are paid and the account is current, regardless of whether the account is in assigned status. Assigned stock do not accrue time towards vesting.
For both transfers and assignments, the transferor (previous member) should apprise the transferee (new member) of the stockholding membership responsibilities and annual membership fee commitments. Additionally, the transferor must provide the pool with the contact information of the transferee prior to the transferee attempting to enter the pool for the first time. The pool does not charge any fee for transfers, but reserves all rights associated with accepting and honoring the transfer in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of Fairfax Swimming Pool, Inc.
Using the Pool
How do I check-in when I arrive at the pool? As of 2022, membership ID cards are no longer required. Instead, check-in takes place at the entrance to the bath house, through the lifeguards and the Fairfax Swimming Pool online check-in system.
Can I bring my own food and drink to the pool? Yes. You may bring your own food and drink to the pool area. Food and glass containers are not permitted on the pool deck. We have sunny and shaded picnic areas and grills for your use. Many of our members order food from area restaurants that deliver to the pool. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on pool property with the exception of Board-sponsored activities.
Do you have lifeguards? Yes. Our lifeguards are certified in water rescue and first aid. Lifeguards are posted at the main pool. However, there is no lifeguard posted at the wading pool. Pool rules state that parents must be within arm’s reach of all non-swimming children at all times.
Does Fairfax Swimming Pool offer swimming lessons for children? Yes. During the pool season, group swimming lessons are offered by the lifeguards, and private swimming lessons are offered by the swim team coaches. Lessons cater to beginners through more advanced swimmers.
Do you offer adult-only swim time? Yes. There is a 10-minute block of adult-only swim time each hour. In addition, there is always one lap lane available for swimmers. Please note, through June 16th, the lap lanes will be occupied by the swim team on weekdays from 4:30-8pm.
Who can use the wading pool? The wading pool is for children aged 6 and younger and includes a beach entry, a water feature, and a gated fence. There is no lifeguard on duty in the wading pool area. Children who are not potty-trained must wear a swim diaper to use the wading pool. Pool rules state that parents must be within arm’s reach of all non-swimming children at all times.
How old do children have to be to come to the pool by themselves? Children 10 years old or older may come to the pool by themselves provided they pass a swim test given by the lifeguards. A child less than 10 years of age will be admitted to the pool enclosure only when accompanied by a responsible member, 15 years of age or older, in whose charge the child will remain at all times.
Can I reserve the gazebo for a private party? Yes, members may reserve the gazebo at no cost and for up to 3 hours. Reservations can be made through your account online. Guest or party passes must be purchased in advance for any non-members attending the party. The party and its sponsor(s) and guests cannot disrupt normal pool activities.
Can I bring a flotation device to use in the pool? Yes, but usage is at the discretion of the pool manager. Pool rules state that “flotation devices (tubes, rafts, boards, etc.) will not be allowed in the pool if their use in any way adversely affects others’ use of the pool. Noodles are not approved as, and cannot be used as, a flotation device by non-swimmers.”
Can I swim anywhere else when Fairfax Swimming Pool is closed because of an event or unexpected closure? Yes. Fairfax Swimming Pool has reciprocal agreements with three other pools located in Fairfax City. Our members may swim at either of those locations while Fairfax Swimming Pool is closed due to pool parties or swim/dive team meets, or for health, mechanical, or any other unforeseen reason, except weather, for more than 2 hours. Please call ahead to make sure those facilities are open. All members who enter a reciprocating pool facility must be an active Fairfax Swimming Pool member in good standing, must be willing to sign any log as might be required by the host facility, must abide by the host facility’s rules and regulations, and are not permitted to bring guests to the reciprocating pool.
Lifeguard Opportunities
How can I become a lifeguard at the Fairfax Swimming Pool? Fairfax Swimming Pool contracts with NVPools for lifeguards. Please contact NV Pools for information on how to apply to be a lifeguard.
The Snack Shack
What are the hours of the Snack Shack? Snack Shack hours are posted at the pool.
Who runs the Snack Shack? The Snack Shack is independently operated by volunteers from the pool membership.
