As Bainbridge Island weathers more cold weather, swimmers will have the last lap.

The BI Metro Parks and Recreation District announced the Ray Williamson Pool at the BI Aquatic Center will officially close for renovations Feb. 24 and will remain so for about 18 months.

“If people are flexible, considerate of others, and willing to share, then everyone will get to swim, but it will not look like it normally does,” aquatic program administrator Jenette Reneau said.

The adjacent Don Nakata pool, which includes some lap lanes, a children’s splash zone, a hot tub and a lazy river, will absorb some of the facility’s programming, but “despite staff’s best efforts, not all users will be pleased with the schedule,” Reneau added.

Aquatic sport groups like the youth swim and water polo teams, Bainbridge Aquatic Masters, high school sports and individual lap swimmers will see reduced hours.

The BIAC will prioritize the high school teams’ scheduling needs, and private and one-time user group rentals will be a low scheduling priority. Only scheduled water time for family swim, open swim, water exercise and swim lessons will be unchanged.

Likely, “the schedule will need to be adjusted, and staff are promoting the message of flexibility and collaboration,” Reneau said.

In order to accommodate a wider range of use, the Nakata Pool will see some changes as well. The dive tank, or deep end, will add two mini-lap lanes, and the pool will open earlier and close later. However, despite increased use as a competitive lap pool, the Nakata Pool will remain a balmy 84 degrees as a Kitsap County safety measure for children and seniors.

The parks district does not anticipate hosting programming at the BI Recreation Center pool, an outdoor pool that opens for public use May 1.

“It would be fiscally irresponsible to use the BIRC pool to augment the Don Nakata pool schedule during the closure due to heating and staffing costs,” Reneau explained.