Splish Splash! Here are 6 Springfield pools opening for summer this weekend

Greta Cross, Springfield News-Leader
·4 min read

It's the best time of summer break: the Springfield-Greene County Park Board's six outdoor pools open for the summer season this weekend.

The opening schedule for Memorial Day weekend is as follows:

  • Saturday, May 27: Fassnight Pool and Meador Pool 1-6 p.m. and McGee-McGregor Wading Pool 10 a.m. to noon and 3-6 p.m.

  • Sunday, May 28: Grant Beach Park and Pool and Fassnight Pool 1-6:30 p.m.

  • Monday, May 29: Grant Beach Park and Pool, Silver Springs Pool and Westport Pool 1-6:30 p.m.

This year, the park board is operating an extended schedule for its six pools, which is possible due to the increased number of lifeguards. More lifeguards, including experienced staff and new staff, have been certified this summer than any season pre-pandemic, according to a news release.

Children play at the Grant Beach Park pool on Monday, June 3, 2019.
Children play at the Grant Beach Park pool on Monday, June 3, 2019.

The park board is hosting its last lifeguard training session of the season from June 9-11 at the Chesterfield Family Center. Registration is $160 for park board members and $170 for non-park board members. Online registration is available at bit.ly/3BWtpU0.

For the remainder of the summer, pool hours are as follows:

  • Sunday: Fassnight Pool, Grant Beach Park and Pool from 1-6:30 p.m.

  • Monday: Grant Beach Park and Pool, Silver Springs Pool and Westport Pool from 1-6:30 p.m.

  • Tuesday: Fassnight Pool and Meador Pool from 1-6:30 p.m. and McGee-McGregor Wading Pool from 10 a.m. to noon and 3-6 p.m.

  • Wednesday: Fassnight Pool and Meador Pool from 1-6:30 p.m. and McGee-McGregor Wading Pool from 10 a.m. to noon and 3-6 p.m.

  • Thursday: Grant Beach Pool and Park, Silver Springs Pool and Westport Pool from 1-6:30 p.m.

  • Friday: Grant Beach Pool and Park, Silver Springs Pool and Westport Pool from 1-6:30 p.m.

  • Saturday: Fassnight Pool and Meador Pool from 1-6:30 p.m. and McGee-McGregor Wading Pool from 10 a.m. to noon and 3-6 p.m.

The Doling Indoor Aquatic Center is also open this summer. The indoor pools are open noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, 1-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Creation of Pool Connection digital IDs is voluntary

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board is strongly advising that outdoor pool customers create a Pool Connection digital photo ID. The creation of these IDs is strictly voluntarily.

Digital photo IDs include each customer's name, address, phone number, emergency contact information and photo. These IDs can be used to check-in at each of the outdoor pools. They are not a physical ID but rather stored within the park board's online registration database.

“The Pool Connection will help us keep everyone in our outdoor pools safe, especially for kids 12-17 who may be swimming without a parent,” Bob Belote, park board director, said in news release. “In the event of an emergency, it’s important for us to know who is in our pools, and how to reach their parent or guardian, or their emergency contact.”

The Silver Springs Park pool on Saturday, June 8, 2019.
The Silver Springs Park pool on Saturday, June 8, 2019.

More: Park Board reverses course, pool digital ID to be voluntary this summer

The creation of a Pool Connection digital ID includes two steps. First, customers must complete the necessary information online at parkboard.org/poolconnection. Then, customers visit a family center or outdoor pool to have their photo taken for the ID.

Each customer who completes a Pool Connect digital ID will receive a complementary one-day outdoor pool pass that will be redeemable at any of the six outdoor pools.

Originally, the park board was going to mandate that these IDs be created for all outdoor pool customers over the age of three. But after feedback from parkgoers, the decision to make them voluntary was made. After this year's test run, the IDs may be mandatory next year.

Another safety measure put in place this year is no customers under the age of 11 will be admitted to an outdoor pool without an adult who is 18 or up. Previously, children nine and up could be admitted to an outdoor pool without an adult.

Admission prices for outdoor pools remains the same as from last year:

  • $4 for children ages 3-7 and seniors 60 and older

  • $5 for adults

  • Free for children under the age of two

Admission to the McGee-McGregor Wading Pool is free. This pool is open for children ages six and under with one adult.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 6 Springfield pools open for the summer on Memorial Day weekend