City Pool to open for swim season Saturday

Roll up that beach towel, splash on the sunscreen and break out the bikini. It's time for the summer swim season in Greencastle.

The Memorial Day weekend traditionally means the start of the summer swim season, and this year will be no different for the Greencastle Aquatic Center. The city will open the pool this Saturday, May 24 (weather permitting, of course).

The pool will have normal hours of operation on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 24-26. That means:

-- 11 a.m.-noon for lap swim.

-- 12-5 p.m. for open swim.

-- 5-6:30 p.m. for family swim and water babies learn-to-swim lessons.

-- 6:30-8 for open swim.

However, on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27-28, the pool will be open for lap swim only from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and will reopen after school hours for open swim from 4-8 p.m.

Regular summer pool hours will then resume on Thursday, May 29 with school out for the year and a full roster of lifeguards, admissions and concessions workers available at the pool.

Ellie Boyle returns as city pool manager with Melissa Ball and Sarah Beams as assistant managers and Elliott Dunbar as the head lifeguard.

Boyle notes that the first few days of the pool season are the "perfect time to purchase pool passes and beat the crowd" to sign up for water babies and other swim lessons. Such purchase can be made at the aquatic center admissions counter.

Daily admission rates for the 2014 season remain unchanged from the last two seasons. Anyone age five and older will pay $5 to go to the pool for the day, while youngsters four and under are admitted free.

Season passes are priced as follows: Individual season pass, $50; and family pass (four people), $150 (with $25 added for each additional person).

A Greencastle Gate Pass (punch pass), good for 10 admissions, is available for $40, which represents a savings of $10 per pass.

The pool will also again be available for private pool rentals and birthday parties on a first-come, first-served basis.

The cost of pool rental varies by the number of persons attending (1-75 people is $160; 76-150 is $230; and 151 or more people is $310).

For birthday parties, the base rate (1-10 people) is $80 with an extra charge of $5 for each additional person.

Pool parties are typically scheduled 8:15-10:15 p.m. daily, though on occasion, the aquatics center may close as early as 6 p.m. for a large-group pool party (such schedule changes will be posted at least a day in advance).

Swimming lessons will also be available at the pool again this summer.

The learn-to-swim program for youngsters age seven and up is $35 for 10 half-hour lessons. Water babies, designed for preschoolers, also costs $30 for 10 half-hour sessions.

Private lessons are available at $80 for 10 half-hour classes.

The lone change in the swim lessons schedule this season is that session A (June 2-13) will have only evening classes (5-5:45 p.m. or 5:45-6:30 p.m.) since the pool water is often quite chilly in the mornings early in the season.

The other two learn-to-swim sessions, June 16-27 and July 7-18, will offer classes at three timeframes (8:30-9:15 a.m., 9:20-10:05 a.m. and 10:10-10:55 a.m.).

Aqua Zumba classes for adults 16 and up are back for a third season with sessions set for 8:15-9 p.m. on Monday and Thursdays, beginning June 2. Cost is $6 per person per class or $3 for season pass holders.

Park Director Rod Weinschenk reminds swim enthusiasts that the weather conditions must be 70 degrees air temperature and 70 degrees water temperature to open the facility and avoid any hypo-thermia situation.

"That's our policy," he said.

A complete breakdown of city pool activities and their costs is listed in the Park Department's 2014 Program and Event Guide available at City Hall, the pool, the park office and other locations.

The last day of the 2014 pool season is listed as Aug. 10.