What's happening, and what's at risk.
The full briefing: what the YMCA is considering, what it has refused to share with members, and what closing the Valles Pool would mean for New Canaan and the surrounding towns.
What the YMCA is actually considering.
The New Canaan YMCA board and leadership have identified that the structure around the Valles Pool, most notably the 40-year-old roof, requires significant repair. In response, they are weighing several paths forward, including demolishing the Valles Pool, repurposing the space, or repairing the structure to keep the pool open.
The case for closure rests on engineering reports and usage surveys cited by Y leadership. When members and program participants have asked to see those reports, the Y has declined to share them. The community was not consulted before the options were narrowed, and the process has been actively obscured from leaders in the aquatic community.
At a meeting on May 20, 2026 leadership stated that the Valles Pool itself is safe and sound, with roughly 20 years of useful life remaining. Any plan to repurpose the structure for something other than a pool would still require fixing the same roof, meaning the cost argument for demolition has not been substantiated in public.
That May 20 meeting was the first time many members heard about the proposed closure at all. A roof repair estimate from roughly three years ago put the cost at about $2.3 million; with time and inflation, today's figure would be higher, but the full scope of repair has not been clarified for the membership.
How we got here.
- 1978–1980Valles Pool built through a community fundraising effort led by the Valles family. Designed as a competition-grade pool: six 7-foot lanes and a 13-foot diving well, meeting the standards required to host sanctioned swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming events.
- 2014–2017The Forese Pool is added during a major renovation. Due to property setbacks, Forese has narrower 6'-5" lanes and a 10-foot deep end, it is not certified for high school swim or diving meets. This was acceptable at the time because the Valles Pool already met those standards.
- Early 2026YMCA leadership and the board begin contemplating the future of the Valles Pool, including demolition, repurposing the space, or repairing the surrounding structure. The full scope of the work, and the engineering and usage reports cited, are not shared with members or the public.
- May 20, 2026Concerned members organize a meeting at the Y to share what they have learned about the proposed closure. YMCA leadership attends. Leadership states that the Valles Pool is safe and sound, with roughly 20 years of useful life remaining.
- The board has signaled it intends to vote in the near term on the future of the Valles Pool.
What closure would mean.
Diving at the Y would end
More than 100 divers, ages 6 through high school, train at the Valles diving well. The Forese Pool is only 10 ft deep (a diving well requires 12.5 ft) and lacks deck space for boards. There is no replacement.
Lane capacity cut nearly in half
Today the Y has 13 effective lap lanes between Valles (6) and Forese (8, one with a long entry ladder). Without Valles, that drops to about 7, for every program, school team, and lap swimmer combined. Forese's lanes are also narrower (6'-5" vs. 7'), which makes large group swims more difficult, especially for competitive swimmers training across multiple strokes.
Competition swimming loses its home pool
Valles is the only NC YMCA pool certified for high school swim and diving meets. The NC Caimans and New Canaan High School rely on it for both. Darien High School uses Valles for the diving portion of its meets. Forese cannot host sanctioned meets.
Adult and Masters swimming displaced
About 40 Masters swimmers train at the Y through the structured 5:30 a.m. coached sessions and informal practices on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Without Valles, the 5:30 a.m. group is cramped into 4 lanes at Forese and many lose access during workable hours.
Girls' and women's sport opportunities shrink
Closing Valles disproportionately affects girls and women, who are heavily represented in synchronized swimming and diving: programs that require a deep diving well Forese cannot provide. The Y's nationally recognized synchronized swim team was already discontinued in recent years; losing Valles would foreclose the chance to bring it back.
Seniors lose a space built for them
For many older adults, swimming is one of the most effective forms of exercise: joint- and arthritis-friendly, good for circulation, and a proven way to maintain strength and reduce the risk of falls. The Valles Pool gives seniors uncrowded lanes and predictable, low-traffic times so they can swim safely and consistently. An 88-year-old neighbor of one of our members plans her swims around those quiet windows. When 13 lanes shrink to 7, that kind of access disappears.
Youth aquatics programs squeezed
About 165 youth swimmers ages 6 through high school are enrolled in Y programs that depend on Valles lane time. Compressing them into Forese means fewer slots and longer waitlists.
A pool the community built
The Valles Pool exists because the Valles family and members raised the money to build it in 1978–1980, explicitly to host the competition swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming programs the Y wanted to offer. That history is not easily replaced.
A pattern, not an isolated decision
Members point to a broader trend in how programs have been wound down. The nationally recognized synchronized swim team was discontinued in recent years. Y Ki campers lost outdoor swim access at Kiwanis Pond, and now ride buses to indoor lessons. Valles would be the next in that pattern, only this one would be permanent.
Let leadership know your opinion.
A direct, respectful email from a community member is one of the most effective ways to make your voice heard. Reach out to YMCA leadership and tell them why the Valles Pool matters to you.
| Role |
|---|
Executive Director of New Canaan YMCA Margaret Riley |
Board Chair Chris Pohle |
Please remain respectful when contacting YMCA leadership.
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