Historic Roy Jenkins Pool has reopened, nine months after the facility was inundated by Hurricane Helene.
Everything in the two-story pool building needed to be replaced, from pool pumps and filters, to air conditioning and the elevator. Pool equipment was lost and drywall was destroyed. Multiple City of Tampa departments were involved in the repairs, which totaled more than $600,000.
"The reopening of the historic Roy Jenkins Pool represents another piece of the community that has been restored after the impacts of last fall’s devastating hurricanes," Parks and Recreation Director Tony Mulkey said. "Bringing this highly used pool back online provides residents the opportunity for health, wellness, and important water safety training. We look forward too seeing the pool full of activity as the summer heats up."
In 2023, annual attendance at Roy Jenkins Pool peaked at 28,880. That year, attendance at all City pools peaked at 161,082.
Roy Jenkins Pool will be open this summer with the following schedule:
- Tuesday -- Thursday, 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.
- Friday from 7:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
- Saturday from 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
- Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Visit tampa.gov/pool-schedules for hours for all pools.
The Davis Island Swimming Pool was constructed in 1929 at a cost of $75,000. In 1965, it was renamed to honor the memory of Roy E. Jenkins, who was “known throughout the South for his keen interest in the youth of Florida and in water safety," according to his obituary in the Tampa Tribune. Jenkins was an honorary director of the Greater Tampa Swimming Association and served for 11 years as an official for the Tampa Invitational Swim Meet.