View PP&R swimming information, including activity descriptions, pool rules and policies, admission fees, and more.
- Non-swimmers and children under 48 inches tall must always have a caregiver aged 16 or older in the water within arm’s reach.
- Children under 10 years old must always have a caregiver on-site.
- Life jackets are available to use while swimming.
This pool was built in 1910 as a replacement for the municipal bathhouse which had been at the foot of Jefferson Street. The Jefferson Street bathhouse had once been a floating structure with a slat bottom. It was closed due to increased pollution in the Willamette River. The Sellwood pool was the first structure of its kind in the city. It was a large wooden edifice with a ten-foot board fence around it to provide privacy: girls used the pool one day, boys the next. The pool has been in continuous use since 1910.
The Sellwood Natatorium (or Bathhouse), an arts and crafts style building, opened to the public in 1929 and still serves pool visitors today. In 1996, funds from the General Obligation Bond Initiative (GOBI) were used to reconstruct the pool and renovate the bathhouse. The bathhouse's lobby, restrooms, dressing areas, and showers received improvements. In 2016, the original 87-year old cedar shingle roof on the bathhouse was replaced with funding from the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond. Other improvements included new paint, seismic improvements, and brick repairs to allow this facility to serve pool users for decades to come.
Accessibility Notes
All-User Changing Rooms
Sellwood Outdoor Pool facilities feature two all-user changing rooms.
Zero Depth Entry
Sellwood Outdoor Pool has a zero depth entry (sloped entrance from land to water).
Pool-accessible wheelchair available for access to full pool.