McKinney Aquatic and Fitness Center: Hours, Prices, Pools and Programs

Why the McKinney aquatic and fitness center is called the Apex Centre

If you searched for the "McKinney Aquatic and Fitness Center," you are looking for the right building under an older, descriptive label. During planning and construction, city documents and local news described the project simply as McKinney's new aquatic and fitness center. On July 19, 2016, the McKinney City Council approved the name Apex Centre; Community Impact reported that the parks director chose "apex" to signal the city's largest recreation project to that point.

The facility opened on March 1, 2017. Reports at the time put the cost at about $36 million, funded mostly by the McKinney Community Development Corporation (MCDC), which draws on a half-cent sales tax McKinney voters approved in 1996, plus roughly $1.5 million from the city. Signs, receipts and the official website all use the Apex Centre name, so use it when you call, register online or ask for directions.

Facility overview

The Apex Centre is run by McKinney Parks & Recreation and sits in Gabe Nesbitt Community Park on Alma Road. The city describes it as an 80,000-square-foot building (one design-industry write-up lists 81,000), and it is a controlled-access facility: everyone needs a membership, a day pass or a paid program registration to get past the front desk.

The building is ADA compliant: the city says every pool has at least one lift, and there are ramps and elevators. People with special needs may bring a caregiver at no charge. For a room-by-room walk-through, including rental prices, see the Apex Centre facility guide.

Pool specs at the McKinney aquatic center

Most of the Apex Centre's appeal is in the water. The table below sets the four pools side by side using the figures the city publishes on its aquatics page. Square-footage figures for the outdoor pools come from a 2018 Aquatics International profile of the project.

Two practical notes. First, the competition pool is "exercise-only" for most of the day, meaning lap swimming and water walking, so families looking for play time should head to the leisure pool during its open-swim block. Second, lane availability changes with swim lessons; the city posts a downloadable lap-lane schedule, and groups can rent lanes for $14 per lane per hour. Read more in our swim lessons and aquatic programs guide.

McKinney Aquatic and Fitness Center hours at a glance

The building opens early on weekdays, which suits lap swimmers and before-work lifters. Each area keeps its own schedule inside those building hours.

The diving board runs Saturday 12–6:30 p.m. and Sunday 1–5:30 p.m. only. The building closes on MLK Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and opens shorter hours on other holidays. Our full hours and pool schedule lists summer open-swim times, gym hours and every holiday exception.

Apex Centre fees: resident and non-resident prices

Every pass comes in resident and non-resident versions. Resident rates apply to people who live inside McKinney city limits; the city specifically says homes in the extraterritorial jurisdiction, such as Trinity Falls, pay non-resident rates even with a McKinney mailing address. You prove residency with documents at the front desk, and all memberships and passes must be bought, and waivers signed, in person.

*Monthly memberships add a one-time, non-refundable $75 enrollment fee, waived for active military and veterans with proof of service. The city paused new monthly sign-ups from May 4 to August 6 during the 2026 summer season.

All of these include the indoor and outdoor pools (in season), the fitness floors, the track, the gym and non-specialty group classes. Only family memberships and family day passes include the playroom; other pass holders pay $5 for a playroom pass. A family day pass covers two adults and four children at the same address. The membership and day pass price guide explains residency documents, freezes and cancellations.

Which pass fits how often you visit

The math is simple once you divide each pass by the day-pass price. These break-even points use resident adult rates; the price guide has the same math for every category.

• 1–6 visits in a month: buy day passes. Six visits cost $90, still under the $97 30-day pass.
• 7 or more visits in one 30-day stretch: the 30-day access pass wins, and it has no enrollment fee or auto-renewal.
• A regular habit all year: the annual membership ($661) costs $218 less than twelve monthly payments plus the enrollment fee ($879), and it pays for itself versus day passes at 45 visits.
• Summer swimming only: the adult summer pass ($299) beats day passes from the 20th visit between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

Rules worth knowing before you go

A few policies catch first-time visitors out. These are summarized from the city's posted rules; the full list is longer.

• Kids in the pool: children 6 and under need someone 16 or older in a swimsuit, in the water and within arm's reach. Children 7 to 9 need a 16-plus companion in the aquatics area.
• Fitness floor: no one under 13. Teens 13 to 15 may use equipment only with a parent or guardian nearby. Group exercise is 13 and up, except family classes.
• Sauna: 18 and older only; the city recommends about 10 minutes and no more than 20.
• Food: coolers and outside food are allowed and are checked at the door, but no glass, no alcohol and no gum. Food is not allowed on the indoor pool deck; it is allowed on the outdoor deck in season.
• Swimwear and gear: family-appropriate swimwear only, swim diapers for children not toilet-trained, and only U.S. Coast Guard-approved flotation devices.
• Weather: outdoor pools close for lightning and when the temperature reaches 105°F.
• Member cards: after three check-ins without a card, the fourth requires buying a $5 replacement card.

Swim lessons and aquatic programs

The Apex Centre teaches group and private lessons based on the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim program. Group lessons cost $192 for members and $268 for non-members per session; private lessons are $285 and $392. In spring and fall, group sessions run four weeks on a Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday pattern; summer sessions are two weeks, Monday through Thursday. The last fall 2026 sessions run November 9 to December 9 (M/W) and November 10 to December 10 (T/Th).

Beyond lessons, the pool is home to the Sea Lions summer swim team (TAAF, ages 5–18, $325 for the season), the Metroplex Aquatics year-round club, water aerobics and American Red Cross lifeguard courses for ages 15 and up. The aquatic programs guide covers prerequisites, the lifeguard swim test and refund rules.

Planning a visit to the McKinney aquatic and fitness center

1. Check the calendar. Look at holiday hours and any posted closures on the official site the morning you go.
2. Create your account online first. The city suggests first-time visitors set up an ActiveNet account before arriving to skip the line. Online account requests can take 24 to 48 business hours.
3. Bring proof of residency. A current driver's license, utility bill, lease or property tax bill are among the accepted documents. Bring proof of age for youth or senior rates.
4. Pack for the pool rules. Swimsuit for any adult with a child 6 or under, a swim diaper if needed, and drinks in non-glass containers.
5. Non-residents: come with a member or a McKinney resident, since non-resident day passes require one.

Frequently asked questions