One last hurrah for city pool this weekend

The calendar tells us there is more than a month left in summer. Even Labor Day, long held as the unofficial end date of summer, is still three weeks away.

Yet for anyone wanting to take part in that quintessential summer activity of taking a dip in the pool only has this weekend to do so — at least at the Greencastle Aquatic Center.

With local schools back in session, the pool operated only after school for the last five days.

Two more full days are set for Saturday and Sunday and then that’s it for the season.

“Literally, when the kids go back to school — most of these kids are involved in sports or other activities — we lose our lifeguarding staff,” Parks Department Director Rod Weinschenk told the Greencastle City Council on Thursday.

The early closing date has been a source of grumbling by some in the community in recent years, but city officials have little they can do to change the situation. Lifeguards are primarily high school students and school is starting earlier than ever.

Weinschenk said that even on the evenings the pool was open last week, it was not at maximum staffing, meaning the water slide could not be in operation at the same time the rest of the pool was in use.

The idea has been floated in the past to use DePauw students, but students do not return to the university until at least two weeks after high schools come back.

Mayor Bill Dory even used the meeting as a chance to publicly request that any adults with lifeguarding licenses contact the parks department if they would be interested in helping at the end of the 2020 season.

While humans won’t be able to use the pool following Sunday, our canine companions will also have their annual chance to go for a swim during Soggy Doggy Day on Tuesday, Aug. 13. Weinschenk did not give a time for the event.

And for those hot days that are still sure to come between now and October, the Bob York Splash Park remains open later in the season, as it does not require lifeguards.

However as of Thursday, the facility was closed, as its UV light, part of the water filtration system, was malfunctioning.

Weinschenk reported that parts were ordered and officials hoped to have the splash park operational again by weekend or at least by early next week.

The splash park will remain open as long as Greencastle continues to get consistent 70-degree weather.