The unexpected closure of three municipal swimming pools — in Palolo, Pearl City and Manoa — just as spring break was about to begin has put a crimp in the plans of schoolkids as well as regular swimmers.

Park officials say at least two of the pools are expected to reopen next week following repairs, possibly before kids return to classrooms on March 31. Spring break began Monday.

The closures jarred some pool users out of their routines.

A sign taped to the locked gate to the Manoa pool read: "Manoa pool closed indefinitely due to broken pump. Sorry for the inconvenience!"

"I've been coming every day to check whether it's open," said Manoa resident Tom Reich, who jogged past the facility one day recently to see if the sign was still posted.

Reich, who normally uses the pool daily, said he planned to take his workout to the swimming pool in Palolo. But when he called the city, he discovered that facility also was closed.

"There's such an avid following for this pool," said Reich, a part-time teacher. "Lots of families come here, especially now for spring break."

The swimming facility at Palolo District Park has been closed for about three weeks, while the Manoa pool has been closed for about 10 days. The Pearl City pool closed this week.

PARTS FROM MAINLAND

All three closures resulted from broken pumps, said Gail Haraguchi, deputy parks and recreation director. The parts, which "are of an older make," had to be ordered and are expected to arrive from the Mainland soon.

The Manoa pool should open early next week, and the Palolo pool should open at the end of the month or early next month, Haraguchi said. The Pearl City pool is expected to open next week as well, she said.

With the three closures, a total of five of the city's 21 pools are closed. Kailua District Park pool will be added to the list March 31 when it closes for renovations until the end of May.

Reich and other residents worry that the recently closed pools could meet the same fate as the other two closed municipal pools that have been unavailable for many months.

The Waipahu District Park pool complex has been closed for 27 months and the McCully pool closed more than a year ago.

Both of those pools have structural issues and require long-term repairs, Haraguchi said.

The Waipahu District Park pool complex is awaiting a $2 million renovation that is expected to start soon and be finished in spring 2009. The McCully pool repairs, which are in the design phase, are part of a three-phase project that also involves renovating the district park's gym, Haraguchi said. The city has said the pool would reopen in 2010.

In the meantime, the city has advised Manoa and Palolo swimmers to go to the pool facility in Makiki.

'LIKE A TRAFFIC JAM'

In the past week, as many as three times the normal number of swimmers arrived at the pool during lap swim hours, said Nyles Toguchi, Makiki pool manager.

Some regulars expressed concerns about overcrowding.

"There are some refugees from Manoa here, definitely," said Liliha resident Rosemarie Tucker, surveying the Makiki pool after finishing a swim one recent afternoon.

Denny Uechi, who swims laps at Makiki several times a week, said he has recently turned around when the pool has been too crowded.

"It's like a traffic jam," he said.

Others guessed that with some pools closed, swimmers might simply have to find something else to do.

Niki Amaki wrapped a towel around her son, Le'o, 7, after a swim at Makiki recently. Le'o's aunt takes him once a week to the Manoa pool, but with Manoa closed, Amaki found time to take Le'o to Makiki.

"They can go to the beach, to the zoo or the museum," she said. "The kids will still be interested."

Reach Kim Fassler at fassler@honoluluadvertiser.com.