Palmetto Bay families will have a new place to swim, take lessons and stay fit when the Barbara and Philip Wong Aquatic Center opens Aug. 22 at the South Dade YMCA Family Center.

The South Dade YMCA announced the grand opening on its Facebook page. Registration is required.

The facility features a lap pool, a shallow entry pool, an adult relaxation area, swim lessons and water safety education for all ages, open swim, and a swim team, according to the YMCA of South Florida's website. A lifeguard will be on duty at all times.

The center is named for Philip and Barbara Wong, whose donation funded the project.

Jobs and classes

The aquatic center will create jobs for swim instructors, lifeguards and fitness instructors in South Dade, though the YMCA has not specified how many positions will open.

Aqua fitness classes launching with the center include shallow water aerobics, Aqua ZUMBA, Aqua Tabata and Aqua Total Body. Additional classes planned include Aqua Board Yoga, Aqua Board Kids, Aqua Board HIIT and Aqua Board Pilates.

The YMCA of South Florida said on its website that reducing drownings is central to the aquatic center's mission, calling expanded swim lesson access one of the most powerful ways to protect lives in a region surrounded by water.

Brandon Fratianni, a South Dade YMCA member who became a lifeguard at the facility, said in a testimonial on the YMCA's website: "I've been working out at the YMCA for seven years and even became a lifeguard here. The environment is very welcoming, and it feels like home to me."

What to know

The South Dade YMCA Family Center serves families in South Dade, Kendall, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay. General facility hours are Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Specific pool hours had not been posted as of Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Florida's Swimming Lesson Voucher Program provides free vouchers for swim lessons for low-income families with children ages 1 to 7. The state expanded the eligible age range in 2026 from children 4 and younger.