If you want to cool off during scorching summer days, nothing beats a swimming pool.
There are 25 publicly owned swimming pools in Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele and Davis counties. Three new pools will open later this summer to bring the total to 28.
Many pools have their own unusual or special features. From surfing wave actions to water slides to tall diving boards to hot tubs to "mushroom" fountains to wading pools, there's a special feature for everyone.
In fact, a family could spend two weeks going from pool to pool along the Wasatch Front — from Payson to Clearfield — on a "swim vacation" to enjoy all these special amenities. All you'd need is lots of sunscreen, and the cost would be far less than a California vacation.
Prices vary from pool to pool, but surprisingly, few public pools charge an additional entry fee for nonresidents. Adult prices range from $2 to $4 for adults, and many pools also offer swimming lessons, aerobics or special lap-swim hours.
Annual family passes (four people) are as low as $100, and considering the upkeep, heating costs and chemicals for a home swimming pool often top many hundreds of dollars a year, that's a bargain.
Public swimming pools don't make money these days (Layton city's Surf 'N Swim is subsidized some $300,000 a year by other city funds), but a profit is not their goal. Their purpose is to provide affordable water recreation activities for the public, a job they do well.
Safety seems to be another strong component of city-owned pools, and parents can rest assured that accidents are rare and when they do happen, well-trained lifeguards are there.
Salt Lake County is the leader in Utah public pools, with three pools now under construction. The county will own and manage 18 pools by the end of the year, 10 outdoor and eight indoor.
"Salt Lake County is entering the age of aquatics," said county aquatics director Gene McIntyre.
Most of the new pools go far beyond the basic rectangular lap pool with a deep end or adjacent "L" diving area. In addition to the lap pool, they have leisure pools with all kinds of toys and climbing apparatuses and slides and features like tumble buckets, which fill with water and then empty it, waterfalls and "lazy rivers" with a slight current, allowing swimmers to bob along them.
"It's no longer a situation where you have the rectangular swimming pool and that's it, like it was when we were growing up," McIntyre said. "You come and play and spend the day."
Basically, the philosophy now is to take a playground and move it into an aquatic environment. If your child likes a playground, just imagine it with water.
"I have yet to see a child walk away who did not have an enjoyable time in those facilities," McIntyre said.
Swimming is becoming very popular in Salt Lake County. McIntyre estimates residents will be using county pools more than 1 million times annually by 2001. Notwithstanding the new emphasis on fun, McIntyre said the county's primary focus is on safety and cleanliness.
"If we keep it safe and keep it clean, there will be enjoyment," he said. "If you come in and the water's sparkling and you can see the bottom, it gives you a good image of the facility."
Here's a look at municipal swimming pools in Davis, Salt Lake, Tooele and Utah counties:
DAVIS COUNTY:
Bountiful: One of the most popular activities at Bountiful's Olympic-size pool, 150 W. 600 North, is swimming lessons. Aquatics director Belinda Price-Dajany says the nine-lane pool, which measures about 55 yards by 25 yards, has about 27 instructors teaching in the water at the one time.
"We put about 4,500 kids through swim lessons in a summer," she said. "Our swim lesson program is huge."
The recreation center also boasts a hot tub, a diving program, a handicapped lift and a large Special Olympics training program. Bountiful used to have another municipal pool, which closed about three years ago because the 30-year-old structure was wearing down. Price-Dajany says plans are in the works to build another city pool and add to the existing facility.
"We don't have all the bells and whistles that the new pools do," she said.
Price-Dajany says the Bountiful pool has not had any accidents in the past year and has one of the best water-quality records in Davis County.
The pool is open 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.-midnight on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays with early morning and late-night hours devoted to water aerobics and swim lessons Monday through Thursday. Open swim hours are 1 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Admission is $2.75 for adults, $2.50 for students ages 12 to 17, $2.25 for children 5 to 11 and free for children 4 and under with a parent.
The pool does not allow thong bathing suits or cutoff jeans to be worn as swim bottoms.
Clearfield: The city's pool at 934 S. 1000 East is a traditional, indoor family-oriented swimming pool. It has 1- and 3-meter diving boards that are hard to find in many pools these days, and it boasts a small, 2 1/2-foot baby pool on its back deck in the summer.
Constructed in 1958, this 185,000-gallon, six-lane pool varies in depth from 3 1/2 feet to 11 1/2 feet and also has a balcony available for those who want to see all the action without getting wet.
"Parents like to come here 'cause they know it's safe," Clearfield Recreation Director Pat Bergseng said, explaining the pool tries to maintain a ratio of one lifeguard for every 30 swimmers.
The pool is closed Sunday, and summer public swimming hours are Monday and Wednesday 2-5 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 6-8 p.m. and Saturday 1-4 p.m.
Admission is $2 for all ages and $1.50 for seniors. Children under 3 are free.
Swimming lessons are taught weekdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and lap swimming is available 5-7 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon. The pool can also be rented by groups on Saturday evenings for $50 per hour.
Family annual passes are very low — $100 for a family of four and only $10 per extra family member. For an extra $50, the family pass includes lap swimming privileges. Residents and nonresidents pay the same fees.
No cutoffs are allowed and flotation devices — except rafts — are also allowed.
Farmington: The swimming pool, 142 S. Main, has struggled with local controversy over the past few years as residents have battled with the City Council over whether the pool should be open on Sundays. This spring the council voted to keep the pool closed Sundays, but Leisure Services director Viola Kinney says many visitors still comment about the decision to close the pool one day each week.
"We're just trying to get rid of our past history and move on," she said.
The pool, which holds 220,000 gallons of water, has an easy-access, zero-depth entry, diving boards and slides. Kinney says there have only been minor accidents in the past year.
"Just your normal scraped knee and scraped toe," she said.
The pool's busiest hours are in the afternoons, but lately it has been almost constantly busy.
"With this hot weather (it is crowded) as long as we're open," Kinney said.
The pool offers family season passes and punch cards for frequent visitors. General admission is $2.50; children 4 and under are admitted free. The pool is open Monday through Friday, noon-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The five-lane pool is reserved for swimming lessons, water aerobics and lap swim 5:30 a.m.-8 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m.-8 a.m. on Saturdays.
Layton: The city's Surf 'N Swim facility, 465 N. 275 East — north of City Hall and inside the Commons Park — is a $2 million wave-action pool that features 500,000 gallons of water and eight lap lanes. The wave action restarts about every 15 minutes and also lasts 15 minutes. The pool is indoor — with a bubble enclosure — except from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, when it is fully outdoor.
"It's a family aquatic facility," Layton pool manager Monte Green said. "We're also affordable and open year-round."
The Surf 'N Swim opened in 1985 and offers a sloped, zero depth entry that's great for young children and goes to 8-feet-deep. The pool is open noon-6:45 p.m. seven days a week in the summer and can be rented out by groups on most evenings.
In summer, there's also an adjoining 150,000-gallon outdoor pool. One admission allows dual access. There's also a small kids pool. There's a diving board in the small pool, but no diving is allowed in the surf pool.
Lap swimming is available 5-10 a.m. weekdays.
Swimming lessons cost $30 per person and are held in summer 9-11:45 a.m. and 6-6:45 p.m.
Admission cost is $4 per person. Those under 3 are free. All children under age 9 must be accompanied by an adult. Annual passes for a family of five cost $300. There is no extra charge for nonresidents.
Rafts, a good feature to have during wave action, are available for rent at $2 each, with 50 cents returned when they're turned in.
The pools have a great safety record, with no accidents in recent years. In the summer, the pools have eight lifeguards constantly on duty, with another alternating on a break.
Cutoffs are allowed, but suggestive swimming attire is discouraged.
The dressing rooms were recently refurbished, and there's a large parameter space available for sunbathers, and some racquetball and concession areas available inside.
The maximum capacity of both pools combined is 650 patrons.
TOOELE COUNTY:
Tooele: Tooele's Memorial Swimming Pool, an indoor facility, offers swimming for adults only 6-7 a.m., noon-1 p.m. and 9-9:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is open 1-4 p.m. to the general public and from 6-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Cost is $1.50 for ages 3-12; $1.75 for ages 13-19 and senior citizens; $2 for adults; $1.25 per person if there are 10 or more and $5 for Monday's family night.
The pool, at 55 N. 200 West, also offers 10 swimming lessons for $15 in sessions throughout the summer.
Tooele County has a new outdoor swimming pool that is part of the Deseret Peak Recreation Complex, 2930 W. Highway 112.
The pool, which opened June 11, offers lessons from 9 a.m. to noon and has open swimming noon-8 p.m. daily.
The Olympic-size pool offers a water slide, a large wading area with special fountains for children and includes a concession stand and a grassy picnic area.
Admission is $3 for ages 3 and up.
SALT LAKE COUNTY:
The Big Cottonwood Fitness/Recreation Center: Now under construction at 1661 E. Murray-Holladay Road, it will be oriented primarily toward the disabled and senior population. Scheduled to open by summer's end, it will contain a 25-yard, six-lane pool with leisure pool attached.
"The emphasis will be special needs," McIntyre said. "A lot of our classes will be geared toward that."
Crestwood Pool: Located at 1700 Siesta Drive, Cottonwood Heights, this is a basic outdoor community pool, 25 yards long, six lanes, with an L-shaped diving alcove (1- and 3-meter diving boards). Lap lanes are assigned on an as-needed basis. Lap swimming hours are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with open plunge afternoons seven days a week and evenings on weekdays. Price is $3.25 for adults, $2.75 for youths and $2.25 for seniors. Under 3 is 50 cents. Monthly and season passes are available.
Dimple Dell Fitness and Recreation Center: This is a brand-new, "humongous" fitness center with pool to match at 10670 S. 1000 East, Sandy. It has a 25-yard, six-lane pool with an attached leisure pool, indoors, with no diving boards. It has all the features of the county's leisure pools — lazy river, tumble buckets, waterfall, slides, etc. — as well as adjacent gymnasium, climbing wall, weight room and other facilities. The center is the crown jewel of Salt Lake County's new fitness/aquatic centers.
"It's a state-of-the-art facility," McIntyre said. "It offers a family year-round recreational facilities."
Lap swimming is morning, afternoon and evening, with open plunge afternoons and evenings and water exercise mostly in the mornings. There will be at least two lanes available during lap swim times. Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Draper: Its Olympic-size municipal pool , 657 E. Vestry Road, has 11 lifeguards on duty, a "mushroom" fountain, beach entry and two diving boards — one 3 meters high and the other 10 meters above the water.
Open swim hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-4 p.m. and 6:15-9 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 1-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; Saturday, 1-8 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is 50 cents for children 3 and under; $2.50 for ages 4-12; $3 for teens 13-17; $3.50 for adults 18-64 and $2.50 for 65 and up.
A teenage boy went off the high-dive last year and scraped his head on the bottom of the pool but recovered quickly, according to recreation director Kristin Somers. "We've been very fortunate to have no problems. Our lifeguards are great out there," she said.
The Fairmont Natatorium, 1044 E. Sugarmont Drive, Salt Lake City, is now under construction with a completion date of next November. In contrast to most of the county's new facilities, it will focus on competitive swimming, taking some of the pressure off Steiner East.
"It is going to be a natatorium and a natatorium only," McIntyre said.
In contrast to most lap pools, which have six lanes, Fairmont will have eight lanes, with spectator seating. "It will be our state-of-the-art competitive facility," McIntyre said.
The Gene Fullmer Fitness/Recreation Center, 8015 S. 2200 West, West Jordan, is scheduled to open in July. It will be comparable to Dimple Dell in size, though not quite as large. It will contain a gym, workout room, six-lane, 25-yard lap pool and leisure pool, with the usual amenities of those pools.
Liberty Park: The pool here, at about 650 E. 900 South in Salt Lake City, is 3 years old and is "just your basic outdoor pool — you can sum it up that way," McIntyre said. It is 25 yards long, six lanes, with a sidebar entry area and no diving board. It offers swim team and water polo organizations, swimming lessons, and open plunge early afternoons and evenings, with Saturday and Sunday all afternoon. Daily cost is minimal, with monthly and season passes available.
Magna Recreation Center: This pool, 3270 S. 8400 West, Magna, is one of only a few pools in the valley that are 50 meters long, making it easy for lap swimmers to keep track of their distances. It has an L-shaped, zero-depth entry area and a diving area with 1- and 3-meter diving boards. It is adjacent the new Magna Recreation Center.
"It's just like the Liberty Park pool but on a different scale," McIntyre said. "It's a huge pool."
Open plunge is 1-4 p.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays going all afternoon and into the evening. Lap swimming is 6-8 a.m. Monday through Friday. Adult prices are $3, youths less, with monthly and season passes available. The pool can be reserved for private parties.
Marv Jenson Fitness/Recreation Center: 10300 S. Redwood Road, South Jordan, contains a basic indoor rectangular pool, 25 yards and six lanes. It does not have the leisure pool fashionable nowadays, but it does have a shallow "kiddie/tot" pool where youngsters can wade and splash each other, as well as a jetted spa. Prices are minimal, with lap swimming and water aerobics in the early mornings, swimming lessons later on, and open plunge in late morning and early afternoon. Open plunge continues in the evenings.
Murray: The city's Aquatic Center was designed with children in mind.
Three quarters of the 250,000-gallon facility is a wading area with a maximum depth of 18 inches. There is a deck slide and several special water fountains designed for child-play, including a Mushroom fountain and Lemon-Drop fountain.
The outdoor pool, at 5109 Murray Park Blvd., is essentially part of Murray Park, where there is a grassy area for picnics and lounging.
The pool features two 1-meter boards and is 13 1/2 feet at its deepest. The pool, which is in its second year, has 10 lifeguards on duty.
The pool has open swim times of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Water aerobics are offered from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays followed by swimming lessons from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Admission is $3 for 18 and over; $2, 17 and under; and $1.50 for age 55 and over. Season passes are also available.
Taylorsville: Salt Lake County's pool in Taylorsville hosts open swim from 1-4 p.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 4914 S. 2700 West. The Olympic-size pool has lights for night swimming and special fountains for children in a wading section. It offers both a high dive and a low dive, and the outdoor pool is available to rent evenings after it closes for $125 an hour. Twelve lifeguards are on duty.
Cost is 50 cents for 3 and under; $2.50 for children ages 4-12; $3 for ages 13-17; $3.50 for ages 18-59; and $2.50 for seniors.
Northwest Multipurpose Center: Located at 1300 W. 300 North, Salt Lake City, is indoor, six lanes, 25 yards, with a one-meter diving board. It caters to families and lap swimming in fairly established neighborhoods in the Fairpark area of Salt Lake City.
"You're dealing with that community and that community only," McIntyre said. "It's not growing like some of the others."
Open plunge hours are early afternoon and evening, with $2 admission for adults.
The Redwood Multipurpose Center, 3100 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City, has a six-lane outdoor pool adjacent to it that's not quite the standard 25-yard length, more for open plunge-type activities than lap swimming. It has an L-shaped deep end with 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards. Swimming lessons are offered, as well as diving, water aerobics, water basketball and a "fun club." Open plunge is $2 for adults and runs early afternoons, as well as evenings Monday through Thursday.
The South County pool: At 12765 S. 1125 West, Riverton, is the county's southernmost swimming pool. It is large — 50 meters, six lanes — making it convenient for lap swimmers. An L-shaped deep area contains 1- and 3-meter diving boards, and another area contains graduated depths for children. Lap swimming is early mornings, with open plunge in the afternoons and evenings. Adult admission is $2.75.
The Steiner East Aquatic Center: At 645 Guardsman Way, Salt Lake City, this is the most heavily used pool in the Salt Lake Valley, with recreation swimmers, lap swimmers, swim teams, divers, master swimmers, water polo players and others all vying for time. It has an indoor pool, 25 yards by 27 yards, and a 50-meter, eight-lane outdoor pool with a shallow L-shaped area for youngsters. There have been no major safety problems other than "the traffic cop issue," McIntyre said — that is, keeping all those swimmers from bumping into each other. Lap swimming continues most of the day in either or both pools, with open plunge the same way. Prices are $3 for an adult.
The Steiner West Aquatic Center: At 855 California Ave., Salt Lake City, this is a pool that for some time has been a well-kept secret among its lap swimmers, but it is gaining a higher profile of late.
"We saw a big increase over the last few months," McIntyre said. "We want people to know we have pools that have been a bit of a secret."
The pool, of basic rectangular shape, is a relatively new, 25-yard, six-lane pool, with a deep end and two diving boards and a slide. Lap swimming hours go through most of the day, though lanes are restricted after noon. Admission is $2 per adult.
West Jordan: The West Jordan Hole offers the traditional swimming fare for residents, everything from lessons offered twice daily to lap swimming in the weekday mornings.
Parents can also throw a wet and wild birthday bash for their children by renting the facility at a relatively cheap rate: $150 for two hours and up to 100 people. The rental hours are 8-10 p.m.
The Hole, located behind West Jordan City Hall at 8125 S. 2200 West, also features a competitive youth swim team and standard low and high dives.
In addition to Olympic-league swimming laps, the outdoor facility offers a fan-style wading pool for young children to splash in. Ten lifeguards keep watch. The city also will open a new indoor pool across the street on July 7.
Swimming lessons are offered at the Hole between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and between 4 and 5:30 p.m. each weekday. Open swim is offered between the lessons and afterward, as well as weekends.
Cost is $2.25 for children under 12, 50 cents for children under 4 and $3.25 for adults.
West Valley City: This new pool, 3100 S. 5600 West, West Valley City, run by the county, is scheduled to open in August. It will have a lot of bells and whistles, with two slides, two connected pools, tumble buckets, the whole nine yards (or, in this case, 25 yards, six lanes). It will be very close to the existing city-run pool — in fact, they will be on two sides of the same park, 100 yards away.
"It will have a competitive feature," McIntyre conceded. "It will be very nice."
West Valley Fitness Center : This facility has two indoor pools. One is a 25-yard, 10-lane pool for laps, while the other is for children, going from zero depth to 3 1/2 feet. Features include spray toys, a current channel and a 30-foot-high, 200-foot-long water slide. Eight lifeguards are on duty.
The facility, at 5415 W. 3100 South, is housed in the biggest recreation center in Utah and offers daily swimming lessons from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and evening lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays 5-7:30 p.m. Open swim is 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and on Saturdays 6:30-8: p.m.
Sundays the pool is open 10:30 a.m. -5 p.m.
From 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekdays, people can use the pool for lap swimming. Costs for West Valley residents are: free for children 4 and under; $1.50 for ages 4-12; $2.50 for 12-17; and $3 for 17 and over. Nonresidents pay about a dollar extra. The center also offers on-site day care.
UTAH COUNTY:
American Fork: Patrons of the American Fork Swimming Pool have the best of both worlds. A bubble above the U-shaped pool, 454 N. Center, keeps the pool area warm in the cool months and opens up to the sun of summer.
"It gives us the opportunity to offer year-round swimming programs," recreation director Steve Bailey said.
The bubble is removed from the end of April to the first part of September, giving the city a more-popular outdoor pool.
"When it's hot outside, we are really packed," Bailey said.
The pool ranges in depth from 15 inches at one end to 12 feet at the other. The deep section has eight swimming lanes that are 25 meters long. The middle section has six 50-meter lanes. Located in the deep end are two 1-meter diving boards. At all times a section of the pool is roped off for lap swimming.
During the week there are 22 different classes of water aerobics. The staff also gives about 4,500 swimming lessons during the year.
Open swim hours are Monday-Friday, 1:15 - 8:45 p.m.; Saturday, 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Children under 4 are free when accompanied by an adult. Children 5-17 are $3. The fee for those 18 and older is $3.50. Senior citizens are admitted for $1.50. All admission fees include access to all amenities of the city recreation center.
Lehi: Lehi city's pool has the 350-foot water slide that was formerly set up at the Saratoga Springs Resort on the north shore of the Utah Lake. The slide is a popular attraction that's included in the $4 admission price. Children under 3 swim free. The pool along with the new park and pavilion on the northeast is available for group rental 6-11 p.m. with the pool reserved 9-11 p.m. Regular hours for the general public are 1-7:50 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The pool has three diving boards; two low boards and a 3-meter high drive, an Olympic-size swimming pool and a baby wading pool with a depth of 16-18 inches. The pool is located at 451 E. 200 South in Lehi.
Orem: This 50-meter indoor pool at the Orem Fitness Center, 580 W. 165 South, was named the nation's No. 1 community center swimming pool in 1995 and 1997 by the United States Water Fitness Association. The swimming pool has a hot tub, sun deck and 1-meter diving board. A higher diving board was removed about eight years ago over concerns about liability, although Orem did not have serious accidents related to the diving board, said fitness center manager Mike Johnson.
The fitness center's pool offers a variety of classes including beginning swimming and water aerobics. The pool is also the home of youth recreational swim and diving teams.
The Water Fitness Association rankings, which still place Orem in the top 10 of community swimming pools, are based on the facility's features, attendance at classes, safety aspects and training of staff.
"A lot of the staff we have here have worked at outdoor pools," said Johnson. "Now they say, 'I'm just tired of the sun.' "
The Orem Fitness Center general admission price is $1.75 for those under 14 years old. For patrons 14 and older, admission is $2.75. Seniors 55 and older are admitted for $1.75.
The pool hours during the summer are weekdays 6 a.m.- 9 p.m., although the pool closes for lessons from 9 a.m. to noon and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The pool is open Saturdays from noon to 7 p.m. and is closed Sundays.
Payson: It's 25—meter outdoor pool was built in 1976 as a Bicentennial pool. Pool manager Joanne Baker calls it a "bobbing pool."
"You come here to cool off and bob," she said. About 200 swimmers bob daily. The pool opens every day except Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturdays it opens at noon. Admission is $1.50 to 12 years old and seniors. Folks over age 13 pay $2. Swimmers need to wear clean swimming attire and no frayed shorts, Baker said.
The L-shaped pool has five lap lanes. A new heater keeps water temperature comfortable and pool depth ranges from 2 feet to 12 feet.
Pleasant Grove: The Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool at 582 E. 300 South features a serpentine water slide, a hot tub, a beachfront area for small children, a mushroom fountain and a pair of low diving boards.
The pool is operated by the city from Monday through Saturday during the summer months for the general public between 1:30 and 7:55 p.m.
Admission is $3 for those four and up. Children under 3 swim free. Seniors pay $1.50. Family passes are available at a discount to Pleasant Grove residents.
The pool has been open for four years and is wheelchair accessible through the beach front. Eight lifeguards are routinely on duty.
Provo: The city's parks and recreation department operates both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The indoor pool, located at the Provo Recreation Center, is jointly owned with the Provo School District. The 5,625-square-foot pool is located adjacent to Provo High School at 1155 N. University Ave.
The pool is used by Provo elementary, junior high and high schools on weekdays during school hours from August to May. But in summer, the pool is open for general public use Monday through Friday 4 p.m.-7:30 p.m. and Saturday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Morning hours are used for swimming lessons, adult aerobic classes and lap swimming.
The pool holds about 300,000 gallons and has both a 3-meter diving board and a 1-meter diving board. Admission for swimming is $1.50 for patrons under 13 years old and $2 for those 13 years and older. Seniors are admitted for $1.50.
The indoor pool sees about 43,000 patrons — not counting physical education students from Provo School District — each year.
The outdoor Veterans Memorial Pool is located at North Park, approximately 500 North and 500 West. The outdoor pool measures 60 feet wide by 122 feet long. It was built in the 1950s and remodeled in 1994. Two 36-foot-tall enclosed water slides were added in 1987.
The outdoor pool hosts about 35,000 patrons during its season. Summer hours are Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission for swimming only is $1.50 for those under 13 years old and $2 for patrons 13 years and older.
Slide passes are available for an additional charge. Eight rides cost $2.50, and 14 rides cost $3.50.
The Veterans Memorial Pool also is available for reservations by groups from 8:30-10 p.m. Cost for a group of 100 people or fewer is $300.
The Veterans Memorial Pool was open Sundays until 1994, when then-Mayor George Stewart decided to close it, setting off controversy.
The 1994 remodeling cost about $500,000 and included replacement of the pool bottom, walls and deck as well as removal of two diving boards.
On a hot summer day — especially a holiday or Saturday — the Veterans Memorial Pool might see as many as 600 swimmers.
"It's very busy," Miller said. "The slides are popular."
Spanish Fork: The city's 55 yard by 25 yard pool, 200 North at about 500 West behind the high school, has areas for kids and adults and a lot of water only 4 feet deep, pool director Jay Rindlisbacher said. It draws from throughout south Utah County to Provo. The only other pool in that area is in Payson. A diving board area has water 12 feet deep.
The kiddie area water ranges from 6 inches to 3.5 feet and has a fan-shaped water mushroom. "Water cascades over the kids," Rindlisbacher said. Additional recreation features include two sandpits, three volleyball courts and a basketball court and pavilion. The pool and pavilion are available for rent after hours, he said.
Admission ranges from $1.50- $2. The 100-foot slide is extra. Seniors over age 55 pay just $1.
Admission including the slide ranges from $3.50-$5.50, or patrons can buy passes to the slide after they get into the pool for $2.50 to $4.50, depending on whether they want to ride the slide 10 times or 26 times, Rindlisbacher said.
"The slide brings in about $500 a day average," he said. Family passes are not available, but patrons can buy a punch card starting at $35 for 25 swims.
The Spanish Fork pool has no lap lanes, but it does have a heavy swim team and lessons schedule starting at 6 a.m. most days. Public swim times start at 1 p.m. The 7-year-old pool has always been closed Sundays.
"It needs to be closed at least one day a week for water quality," Rindlisbacher said. The pool needs time to regenerate. Water quality includes two aozonators that shock the water to kill organisms, and the pool uses liquid chlorine.
Most patrons like the pool because of its cleanliness, Rindlisbacher said. It's backwashed every day and kept picked up and painted around the pool area. The pool also has a snack shack and "we don't overcharge."
Springville: This is one of the few larger cities in Utah without an outdoor pool. With a bleacher area and six 25-meter lanes, however, the city's pool is used by all Nebo School District schools during the year for competitions. The pool, at 1015 E. 900 South, has a 1-meter diving board in the deep end and also has a shallow end for children.
Admission fees are $2 for children 3-14. Fees for those 15 and older are $2.25.
Amy Joi Bryson, Edward L. Carter, Alan Edwards, Sharon Haddock, Rodger Hardy, Elyse Hayes, Jim Rayburn and Diane Urbani contributed to this story.