The Seattle Parks and Recreation announced it will operate 14 wading pool sites, rather than its usual 25, in the summer of 2009, in order to complete federally mandated safety improvements required by the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
 
The law, enacted by congress and signed into law in December 2008, requires that all owners of pools and spas install specified new drain covers and second anti-entrapment systems to protect swimmers from possible injury or death caused by getting caught in pool drains.
 
Because of the nationwide demand for the drain covers and anti-entrapment systems and the skilled labor required to install them, there are delays in the work all over the country.
 
Parks is working to install this safety equipment in 10 swimming pools, and will begin work on the wading pools as soon as it receives permits from Public Health - Seattle & King County.
 
Because of the schedule constraints, parks will open four wading pools on June 20, right after the Seattle Public Schools term ends. They are Green Lake Park, Volunteer Park, Lincoln Park, and Van Asselt Playground.

These four sites operate from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, weather permitting.
 
East Queen Anne Playground and South Park Playground open on Monday, June 22. These sites operate from noon to 7 p.m. daily.
 
Eight more wading pools will open over the course of the summer, as their drain work is completed, on the following schedule. These sites will be open from noon to 7 p.m. daily.
 
In West Seattle:

Delridge Playfield, Wednesday, July 8
Hiawatha Playfield, Monday, July 20
E.C. Hughes Playground, Monday, July 27

Elsewhere in the city:

Cal Anderson Park, Saturday, June 29
Wallingford Playground, Monday, July 1
Dahl Playground, Saturday, July 6
Bitter Lake Playfield, Wednesday, July 29
View Ridge Playfield, Monday, August 3
 
The five water spray features at Ballard Commons Park and Miller Playfield are open now; those at John C. Little, Sr. Park, Pratt Park, and Judkins Park will open on Saturday, May 23.
  
The last day of operation for all wading pools and spray features will be Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day).
 
These wading pools will not open in 2009 because parks cannot do the drain work on all pools before the end of the summer:

In/around West Seattle:

Highland Park
Georgetown      

Elsewhere in the city:

Soundview                                                   
Beacon Hill
Powell Barnett                                              
Ravenna                                                         
Gilman                                                            
Magnuson
Peppi's Playground
Northacres
Sandel

 
For more information on the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, click here and here.