Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool opens May 24
The Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool opens for the season beginning Memorial Day weekend.
The pool will open from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, May 24. For opening weekend, it will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, according to a city news release.
Beginning May 28, summer hours will be in effect. Open swim is Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pool will also be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to noon for 100-meter lap swim.
As a reminder, areas of the pool may be closed at times depending on activities, attendance, and staffing. The pool schedule is subject to change due to weather, special events, and/or staffing.
Daily admission for adults (age 18 and older) is $4.25, youth (age 3 to 17) is $3.50, seniors (age 65 and older ) is $2.50, and children (age 3 and under) are free. Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Admission can be paid for with cash or check at the outdoor pool. Credit and debit cards are not accepted.
A family season pass, which is only valid at the outdoor pool, can be purchased for $265. It includes one adult and four household members. Multi-visit virtual cards, that are good for 25 visits, for adults are $80, youth are $60, seniors are $45.
A mommy/baby room is available for a cool, comfortable place to breastfeed your baby, the release stated. Floats are available for rental on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own chair as there is limited seating. Coolers are allowed, but glass containers are not permitted. Bags and/or coolers are subject to search. Vending machines are available on-site.
For more information, call the Recreation and Parks Department at (865) 425-3450.
The Oak Ridge Outdoor Municipal Swimming Pool was originally constructed in 1944 by the Corps of Engineers. The pool underwent major renovation in 1992-93 and reopened for the 1994 summer season. The pool is spring water fed and considered one of the largest in the nation. Depths range from zero to 13-1/2 feet and holds 2.2 million gallons of water. It opens each summer during Memorial Day weekend and closes in mid-August with an end of the season Puppy Pool Party. There are 25- and 100-meter courses, an offshore island, and a large grassed beach area.
Oak Ridge City Council has been studying renovations to the 80-year-old Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool because of structural problems and losing an 100,000 to 110,000 gallons of water a day when the pool is in operation. Consultants hired by the city to come up with three options for the pool and the surrounding area have returned to city council with those options, which carry estimated price tags of $21.9 million to $28.9 million.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool opens May 24
