PENDLETON â The Pendleton Aquatic Center is opening for the first since 2019, but what its reopening looks like is highly dependent on Umatilla Countyâs COVID-19 risk level. In an interview, Parks and Recreation Director Liam Hughes said the pool will reopen on June 12 after spending 2020 dormant. Hughes said the âgame changerâ for the aquatic center was the stateâs new standards for outdoor gatherings. While the state used to cap gatherings at a flat number, the state now factors in people per square feet and county risk level. With the Pendleton Aquatic Center offering 128,000 square feet of space, the aquatic center offers some flexibility for city staff.