Samena Swim & Recreation Club is celebrating two amazing milestones in our history. Fifty years ago, 250 dedicated families in the Lake Hills neighborhood of Bellevue broke ground on the Olympic Athletic Club, originally envision as a “club house and outdoor pool.” The following year, they renamed it the Samena Swim & Recreation Club—“Samena” means “hunter” in the Chinook Indian language.

Within five years, Samena completed construction of its first indoor aquatics facility. Samena’s members, staff and Board should be proud of their contributions over the fifty years leading up to our Golden Anniversary! Our members have seen the club through five stages of renovations beginning in the 1990s—an indoor pool renovation; a new fitness center; administrative office expansion; family locker rooms and playground; and new adult locker rooms and expanded multipurpose, preschool and fitness rooms.

We will soon enjoy the fruit of our investment in the sixth renovation and the last phase of our Master Plan: the completion next month of our new covered aquatics facility! This new indoor facility will include a new hot tub, new classroom, and new HVAC system for improved air quality and a more comfortable environment.

We thank all of you for your support during this last phase of the Master Plan. And we trust that you will experience our new club as a first-rate, family-friendly and comfortable place for competitive sports, recreation, fitness and fun. Stayed tuned for announcements of the grand opening of the new aquatics facility, and our Golden Anniversary members’ celebration!