Takoma Community Center

awesome playground, clean, skate park, workout areas, etc.

I wish I could give 0 stars because the staff was very rude and disrespectful. If there are no pictures to be taken it needs to be clearly displayed. Furthermore the reason given is because it’s a government building is milarchy. I’m here enjoying my children and I can’t document that.

I frequent this pool on weekday mornings between 8 and 10 and always get my own lane! The locker room can get pretty crowded, especially when the seniors come in on Friday mornings for practice. I use my own lock, no security problems.

This is a review for the DCPR swimming classes. We enrolled in the parent&child swimming class at Takoma pool and were bitterly disappointed. It was supposed to be 8 sessions with a professional instructor. After the fourth lesson, the instructor quit. The fifth lesson was given by a stand-​in instructor was was unprepared, inaudible and just couldn’t teach at all. Same for the sixth and seventh lesson. For the eighth lesson, no instructor showed up. They apparently called our home phone number 30 minutes before the class to tell us that it was cancelled. As if we were going to be home 30 minutes before the class! All the parents and children ended up in the same situation: we had all made the trek to the pool with our babies to find that there would be no class after all. The front desk staff didn’t give as much as an apology — they were sullen and really couldn’t have cared less.
Another issue is that the pool personnel regularly «forgets» to turn on the heating system in the baby pool, so one ends up with an ice cold pool.
Another really silly thing… they built the pool in such a way that the entrance is on the opposite side of the building from where the parking lot is. It’s just poor design.
Two stars because the pool is relatively new and clean.

I recently moved to DC and live just a few blocks from the Takoma Community Center. I actually signed up for one of their adult swimming courses before I arrived because I heard they sell out so fast (the classes are capped at 10 people). When I showed up and actually went to check the place out, I was expecting it to be rundown since it is a government facility, after all.
Quite the opposite. The pool area is gorgeous. The locker rooms are well maintained (damp, of course, but clean).
I am nearly finished with my Adult Level 1 swim class and am already signed up for Level 2. For DC residents, the swim class is only $ 10 for 6 weeks of instruction (with classes 2x/​week). That’s crazy affordable! If all goes well I hope to take the Level 3 course later this year. My instructor also mentioned they are going to be offering a kayaking course soon — how awesome is that?!
The fitness center is small, and yes it is annoying that it does not keep the same hours as the pool, but as someone who works from home I’ve been able to make it work for me. They have all of the basics (free weights, kettlebells, leg press, various other machines) and for $ 125/​year I really can’t complain.
I have noticed there are some inconsistencies with the check-​in process, and the online signups don’t always go as planned (I had to sign up for my Level 2 swim course in person, for example). Otherwise I would say this is a 5-​star worthy facility.
Take advantage of your local resources, folks.

Love this pool. If you are not a D.C. resident, be sure to bring a credit card and ID, admission is $ 7 and they don’t take cash

I’m only reviewing the outdoor playground and splash park associated with this center. The splash park is perfect for 3 to 7 years old, though my 9 year still managed to have a lot of fun. The playground is great for 3 to 11 — very nice, new, different equipment. The novelty of it really impressed us. It’s a little park, but a very nice one. Really awesome for the preschool/​kindergarten set. You can do birthday parties by the splash park — there’s a shelter. And there are nice bathrooms.

As a newcomer to the area, I was intent on finding an indoor pool for lap swimming. Heard a lot about this place, so I went with high expectations. Arrived on a Sunday morning, when it was pretty quiet. The men’s locker room was dingy and outdated, with multiple unusable lockers because of broken locks. Showers were dark.
I will not be coming back for one, key reason. The pool’s water temperature is really, really warm. I’m used to 79–81 °F degrees — the perfect range for lap swimming. Instead, the pools here are really warm, probably 84 – 85 degrees. Great for enjoying the water, but NOT for lap swimming. I have never heard of such warm temperatures for a lap swim pool. WTF, you can die swimming laps in this water temperature.

I was looking for a park nearby to job but found a pool and was very sceptical about it being «free» for DC residents. I decided to go the next day and didn’t have my hopes up but boy that pool exceeded all my expectations! Clean, warm, plenty of lanes, not crowded and I can rave about it on and on… All I had to do was show my driver’s license to the receptionist. I don’t know when was the last time I had access to such wonderful facility and all I would have to do is drive there and bring my swimming suit. I loved it!

Wow, I was really impressed with the pool here. It’s Olympic quality, college quality pool with amazing bleachers, etc. The only negative is that there are lots of practices for various teams at the pool, and you could end up not being able to get in the water due to a swim meet, etc. The lockerrooms aren’t the most amazing thing in the world, but the pool is top notch.
The pool itself is 50 meters long, with lanes typically setup at 25 yards, swimming across the pool. One end has a baby pool. The surrounding grounds have beautiful park and grass fields, including playing fields. There is plenty of street parking. I assume there is a parking lot, but I didn’t see it when I was there. The staff was really nice and respectful, which is more than I can say for a lot of DC area pools (I’m talking to you, Wilson and Ramsey).
Great place to swim, high recommend, with beautiful windows and lots of light.

It’s a wonderful facility. The pool is clean, the locker rooms are fine, the staff is friendly and – as has been mentioned – free for DC residents.
The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because it does not have a whirlpool or a swimsuit dryer. Small complaints, but both are at the Wilson Aquatic Center – another run by DCDPR. So, if Wilson is a five (and granted, it is a VERY new facility), Takoma is a four.
(If Wilson AC wasn’t so amazing, Takoma would be a five. Obviously.)

It’s been more than a year that I am going on an average of 2 to 3 times a week to the Takoma Pool and my sporty life couldn’t be any better.
Of course the best feature of is that is FREE for DC residents, but beside that I truly appreciate the following characteristics which are not that easy to find in every pool:
— Easy to swim up in your own lane pretty much all the times of the day
— Warm water
— Clean
— 3 different pool to choose from, which means that even if some lanes are taken for classes or water ball games, there is always enough space for swim
Back in my hometown I was use to pay up to 9 $ a day to go to the swimming pool and the only thing that was better were the locker rooms. There is no way this deal can be beat and even if DC is awful with the cameras and car tickets system, I truly appreciate this FREE service which actually kind of make my staying in the DC quite pleasant and is a kind of decision making factor to live in the district.
Just think about it: Going to swim 3 times a week for a year will cost something around 1000 $ for a non DC resident. If this is not a deal, well you guys tell me!

I really like this pool. I’ve lived in the area for a while but only recently started swimming. It’s fantastic. It’s Olympic size but setup for 25 m lanes rather than 50. At first I thought this a disappointment but it does mean that it’s much easier to get your own lane and I like that.
My first time at the pool was to accompany my wife who was swimming. I was in street clothes in the bleachers at the pool level. After about 10 minutes I had the swimsuit conversation that is so often handled poorly and results in negative reviews of pools around the city. They were respectful though and I went upstairs.
The pool is wonderful. The locker room is not so great but it does the job. You don’t have to push a button in the shower but it’s low flow. The lockers are cheap and the locking mechanism isn’t great. For that reason a lot of them are broken. I wish there was a machine to dry swimsuits. You don’t go to a pool for the locker room though and it’s not so bad that I would take off a star.
The staff at check-​in is usually ok, sometimes unfriendly, sometimes super nice. The life guards seem fine. When I’ve been asked to move lanes due to swim club practice they have always been nice in explaining what lanes are free and when others are opening up.
The Takoma Pool ranks right up there with the Ft. Totten Transfer Station as my favorite DC government facilities.

This is a pool. Not the pentagon.
The woman at the front desk seems to think that she needs a thumbprint, retinal scan, and a hank of hair from people seeking entry into this pool. Entry is free for DC residents. You prove residency by showing an ID. So one day all I had was my «pool bag» and my work ID still pinned to my work clothes. She was like «so next time I need an ID with a zip code on it.» WTF. Ok, honey. One time, when she had seen me two days per week, three weeks in a row, and it was raining and windy and freezin-​ass-​cold outside, and all I had on was a swimsuit, flip flops, and a coat, she demanded I return to my car and go into the trunk (where I keep my costume jewelry and watch while I am in the pool) and get my drivers license. Oh I did it in lieu of running around the plexiglass separator and channelling my best Wayne Brady («Is Kelly G. going to have to choke a beotch?»). I was so dam glad when she had the flu for two weeks and the «other guy» sat at the plexiglass for the duration. He was so nice. You could flash your ID and he would wave you in. What a relief.
I don’t know why she is so protective of this pool anyway. The water is so freaking cold. The water temperature is a steady 31º F for the swim team that meets in the far lanes. It could some how theoretically be a tiny bit warmer for people in aquafit who are standing around (i.e. jogging in place) between exercises. The water is always ice cold. I am shocked there are not crystalline chunks floating in this pool. It is so cold that even the lap swimmers and swim team (who supposedly like it cold) have complained the water is too cold.
When this session of aquafit is over, I am going to try to go back to Takoma where the water is at a decent temperature for aquafit.
The pool is huge. But it is segmented by four or six steel and concrete barriers. It is like 4 pools in one. The baby pool has been closed since I started going to aquafit here and the locker room has half-​length lockers with a place for you to put lock for you to lock up your valuables.

Great pool! Entrance is free for DC residents with proof of ID. The gratis entrance sure makes you appreciate the district government.
The temperature inside the center is nice and toasty — perfect for cold winter days. The pool water may feel a tad cold at first, but swimming laps will quickly warm one up.
The women’s locker room was pretty clean. Free body wash is provided in the showers, which can reach satisfyingly warm temperatures. As with most aquatic centers, bring you own lock to store your stuff in a locker while in the pool. While at the pool this past Sunday (beginning of March), my boyfriend and I had no problem finding our own private lanes to do laps in for nearly an hour. In addition, we had no trouble finding parking outside the center.
The only reason I did not give the pool five stars is due to its lack of a large hot tub like that of the Woodrow Wilson Pool in Tenley Town. Understandably, the luxurious hot tub is not completely necessary, but does make for an extra pleasant experience. :)

Free if you are a DC resident. Sure, we have taxation without representation, but I don’t know of any state that gives its residents free access to such a fantastic resource. Takoma is only one of several pools available in the district, and you can almost always find a lane for lap swimming – even during peak hours when other gyms with pools would be packed.
On top of all that are the baseball fields, tennis courts, recreation fields and track!

Okay, so I’m out of shape. Smoke too much; eat too much and don’t exercise. Being that I’m fairly intelligent, thought it’s time to do something about this sad state of affairs called ME.
Today I went to my first session of water aerobics at the Takoma Community Aquatic Community Center. OMG! Everything I have hurts! The hairs on my head, the polish on my toe nails, the skin of my teeth! Talk about a work out! Nicole Michelle at Takoma Community Aquatic Center, you ROCK! I just pray these ol’ bones will get me back there on Thursday for session number 2. I’ve already taken 2 tylenol and hopefully will make it through the rest of the day! Pray for me, y’all!
DC Senior Citizen Residents pay only $ 25 for a 6 week water aerobics class, which meets twice weekly (Tues. & Thurs). Money very well spent! Time well spent! Happy camper am I.

Takoma community pool… yaaaay! A good, basic pool for a good, basic workout. Olympic size, 2 pools. One split into maybe 7 – 8 lanes, the other into a shallow pool and one slow crawl lane (where you’ll find me).
Staff are mostly laid-​back young adults. Pool is fairly clean, although there is a little bit of slime/​mildew on the floor in parts. Locker rooms are less pristine, with noticeable mildew all over the ceiling. They keep high powered fans on all the time, but it doesn’t seem to help… they are hot and sticky… Go barefoot and you are asking for hepB.
Mornings are best in my opinion… no kids/​teens, serious swimmers, and the occasional grandma doing water aerobics… go grandma!
I originally was going to give them 3 stars, but DC residents are free… And the hours are great. And they are pretty easy on how they define residents… If u pay a utility bill, you are good to go.

This is perhaps one of the best DC has when it comes to public pools. It is free for active duty military. I don’t know the rates for non-​residents. The pool has more than 10 lanes half of which are 6 feet and over. There’s one 5 feet lane, and all the rest are 3 and 4 feet. Staff is courteous and accommodating. Kickboards, belts, and barbells are provided for. Lockers have enough space (of course, bring your own lock). Showers provide privacy (as long as the curtains work) and are not military bay-​style. I guess they heat the pool only during winter months. Parking is very ample (at the back of the building — not on the street). The pool is not crowded at all (weekdays). I do not know about the weekends though.
The weight room is quite a disappointment. It’s small and crowded. So basically, I can only recommend the pool.
Pool hours:
Monday — Friday: 0600 – 2100
Saturday-​Sunday: 0900 – 1700

My friend and I came here to workout after a week of sitting around during Snowmegaddon, realizing that we needed to workout something else aside from our livers.
I can only speak to the pool (the community center itself was closed when we came), but the pool here is gorgeous. Lap pools are well-​maintained and there’s even a kiddie pool with a fountain. Bathrooms and locker rooms are really clean as well (bring your own lock though). Free for District residents with ID, but we weren’t asked for ID at any point. Pool wasn’t too crowded for a weekend. Can’t speak for the PM rush.