Seattle to raise fees for public pools and facilities to offset salary increases

(The Center Square) – Seattle residents who utilize the city’s public pools, gyms and athletic centers will see fee increases next year to help offset salary increases.

On Jan. 1, 2025, Seattle Parks and Recreation services will jump in costs for users. Notable increases include pool admissions increasing $1 for youth, seniors and adult users, with the latter set to pay $7.50.

Renting the city’s synthetic athletic fields for adult use will increase from $81 per hour to $91 per hour next year. Renting those fields for youth purposes will also increase from $16 per hour to $24 in 2025.

The greatest increase in fees will be for renting the city’s larger gyms, which will go from $28 to $62 next year.

Some fee rates will continue increasing in 2026 as well.

According to Seattle's 2025-2026 budget, annual wage increases and market adjustments exceeded planning reserves for the city’s parks and recreation department. In order to mitigate the shortfall, fee increases were identified.

According to the department’s budget, expenditures on annual wages total $17.1 million.

Through these fee increases, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department anticipates an additional $3.3 million in revenue in 2025.

Out of the $3.3 million in additional revenue, approximately $865,000 will be dedicated to supporting additional expenses, including added staffing and scholarship funds for aquatics and tennis programs.

The department has stated multiple times that the fee increases generally align with what other local jurisdictions in the region are charging. In fact, Seattle is, in some cases, behind market-rate, according to Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Anthony-Paul Diaz.

When Diaz introduced the department’s budget to the Seattle City Council on Sept. 30, Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth voiced concerns over the increase in fees.

Diaz noted that some of the additional revenue from the fee increases will go back into the maintenance of athletic fields and facilities to keep them in good condition.

In an announcement regarding the fee increases, the department stated that it recognized the increases may be burdensome for many park users and families. To help lower-income families and individuals, the department established a scholarship program that provides financial funds for programs and activities.

According to the department, an individual can expect to save an average of $3,199 per year through the program.