we believe
We believe in building a stronger and healthier community through aquatics that serves all ages, abilities, and is equitable for all.
It's time to make this a reality
Communities are stronger with places to be active and social together.
Aquatics are the healthiest activities for all ages & abilities.
Our region is in great need of public aquatic facilities that serve everyone’s needs.
Our Shared Vision
We believe that water unites us and makes our communities stronger.
We invite you to learn more about what we are doing to bring greater access to aquatics and making our communities safer in and around the water. Everyone deserves to find joy doing all of the many water based activities in our Pacific Northwest.
Check out our vision videos and enjoy our site.
Thank you for visiting us!
In the pool, there is a lane for everyone. We proudly celebrate the contributions of our LGBTQIA+ community to our aquatic history and the paths they have created for others.
We are one when we are in the water.
SPLASHForward and Piper Enge form NIL Partnership
We are excited to share that we have formed an NIL partnership with local Mercer Island swimmer and Olympic Trials qualifier Piper Enge.
Piper is a local hero with her High School, national, and international swimming accomplishments. She is a voice of inclusion whose story we are proud to share with you. Piper will use her voice and platform to support SPLASHForward‘s mission to expand access to aquatics for all. We are excited about the momentum we will build together!
Bellevue City Council Unanimously Moves Project Forward
In October 2021, Bellevue City Council unanimously supported to proceed with our Parks and SPLASHForward recommendations for facility concept plan, a master plan update for Bellevue Airfield Park to include the proposed aquatic center, and a formal partnership with SPLASHForward. In March of 2022, a memorandum of understanding between SPLASHForward and the city was approved by city council and the master plan update is underway.
In April of 2023, City Council again unanimously supported the Parks Board master plan recommendation for Bellevue Airfield Park which is now under WA state environmental review. We anticipate an environmental determination near the end of 2023 or early 2024.
Momentum building support from Amazon
SPLASHForward is pleased to share that in 2023 Amazon has continued it’s support with a recent $50,000 donation to add to their ongoing support. Amazon’s donations support our organizational costs, pre-development planning and our initiatives. Amazon is our title sponsor of our High School Lifeguard Training Program. We are incredibly grateful for Amazon’s support and look forward to using their momentum building support to take our next big steps with the City of Bellevue.
“A world class public aquatics center in Bellevue will greatly contribute to making our city the place you want to be. We are a city surrounded by water and learning to swim should be accessible to our community for generations to come. The six recent drowning deaths demonstrate how incredibly important water safety is to everyone. SPLASHForward has been instrumental in shaping the vision and working with the City. Bellevue appreciates Amazon’s support of this critical project. They have been a great partner in making our City better.”
Jennifer Robertson, Former Longstanding Bellevue City Council Member
Student Lifeguard Training Workshops & Certification Support
Our HS Lifeguard Training Program has supported over 166 students since we launched in the spring of 2021 and we have big goals for to continue cultivating a vibrant culture of lifeguarding and building the lifeguard pipeline within our community.
Each spring we hold student lifeguard training workshops with aquatic managers and lifeguard instructors from local aquatic facilities and student lifeguards to share what it means to be a lifeguard. We have expanded our reach by partnering with UW’s Harborview Injury Prevention Research Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Public Health – Seattle & King County to hold Student Lifeguard Workshops for National Injury Prevention Day (November 18) to introduce lifeguarding to students in King County.
Learn about our Initiatives
We have some exciting initiatives to share with you!
Our goal is to raise the awareness on the importance of access to aquatics. We believe aquatics not only benefits your health and well being, but creates a stronger more connected community.
The partnerships we create now to launch these initiatives will be the beginning for what we envision at a new public aquatics facility.
Check them out!
40%+
foreign born in Bellevue
200K
Eastside population growth since 1970
1,000+
person waiting list for Learn to Swim lessons
1970
last public pool built in bellevue
Our Mission
SPLASHForward, on behalf of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, is spearheading the advocacy efforts to bring a public world-class sustainable regional aquatics center and satellite facilities to the Eastside.
Our mission is to build healthier, stronger, and safer communities by creating equitable access to aquatic facilities and programs that build essential life skills, inclusion, connection, and active lifestyles.
We aim to go beyond meeting the aquatics and wellness needs of the community. We envision an accessible, culturally inclusive, operationally efficient and vibrant hub built on a foundation of lasting local partnerships for many generations to come.
“
This is not just another pool
Our vision includes…
a design-forward, community experience for everyone
sample image
a place of pride and equity for our community
sample image from Shawnee Mission Aquatic Center
a place that promotes health & wellness through fitness, aquatics, lifestyle Activities & Medical services
sample image from Elkhart Aquatics Center
Our Vision
Great Places You Want to Be
Accessible, safe and healing.
A place where I belong no matter my abilities or age.
Destination experiences where families want to be, our community finds value and is sought after year round.
An active place to be, an oasis
A place to cross paths, meet through exercise and unite among our differences.
We are one in the water. Our diversity embraced.
Introduce all ages to water exercise for a lifetime of wellness and opportunities beyond the water.
A place of local pride.
Our Vision
we are one in the water
Learn to Swim & Water Safety
Dedicated 25y Training Pool
Family Fun & Leisure Park
Sample image from Snohomish Aquatic Center
Configurable Competition Space
50m (2 x 25y) + Deep Water Tank
Sample image
Aquatics therapy
Medical wellness, Adaptive Swimming, Special Needs, Water Safety
Programming for All Ages & Abilities
Uninterrupted programming
Recreational Swimming
Lap Swimming, Masters Swim, Triathlon Training
Our supporters
We thank our early partners, endorsers and sponsors, for believing in our mission, embracing it as their own and being willing to be a part of the great community effort to realize success for all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Individual Donors
Nick and Sue LeClercq
Sam LeClercq
Sally & Glenn Dillon
Carolyn & Dean Behse
Nancy and Kelley Price
Lea Xu
Jennifer Roberts
Lisa Kempf
Brett Bogachus
The Bahks
Laura Rochford
Thor Tyson
Todd Gooding
The Arnold Family
Stephanie Fox
Kyle Funakoshi
Penelope Funakoshi
The Palmer Family
Paula Melby
Richard Zartman
Pete and Connie Holton
Fred Huang MD, Proliance Orthopedic Associates
Vicki Balzarini
Kathy Judkins
Jenny and Bob Peters
Armitage Family
Amy Steele
Amy and Matt Franck
Hansen Family
John and Julie Franck
James and Amanda Franck
Matt and Amy Franck
Masse Family
Weed Pappalardo Family
Mary K Loftus
Kelsey Joyce
Madeleine and Bert Valdman
Draper Family Charitable Fund
Joe Ollis
Nancy Price
Leslie and Randy Howard
Jay and Lynn Girotto
Kate Jack
Darin Jensen
Patty Haven Fleischman
Franco and Susan Audia
Anne Fillmore and Neil Butler
Alicia and Carson Miller
Tina Schmid
Betsy Troutman
Frank Anderson
Ron Van Pool
Stu Isaac
Erik and Tracy Teutsch
Grace Chu
David Francis
Mary Lu and Taylor Hawes
Ben, Britt, Blake and Bennett Belur
Jerry and Nancy Belur
Tricia Elmer
Kelli Rimmer
Karly Green
Kim Ngan Vo Ngo
Gabe Templeman
Quad Cities Community Foundation – Kiebler Family Fund
Amazon Smile
Microsoft Rewards
Gifts in Memoriam
In memory of Joan Adkisson
Tim Adkisson
Dale and Annedale Martin
Richard and Kathryn Hardesty
Dean and Carolyn Behse
Brian Hopps
Stephen Hopps
Pam Piering and Don Hopps
In memory of Brian Fisher
The Bahks
In memory of Greg and Nancy Draper
Jennifer Draper
In memory of Christine (Pappalardo) Greif
Susan Pappalardo and Brad Weed
Richard and Kathryn Hardesty
In memory of Dean Behse
Brian and Nancy Quint
Susan Pappalardo and Brad Weed
SPLASHForward is a member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
We are stronger together
SPLASHForward
721 4th Ave #417 Kirkland, WA 98033
SPLASHForward is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. Tax ID 83-2629157