Municipal pool opens for summer fun
WATERVLIET, N.Y.>> Families living in the city will have plenty of options when it comes to summer entertainment and activities this year.
The city’s municipal pool, Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool, at the corner of Second Avenue and 16th Street, officially opened for the summer this past week and will remain open until sometime in August. Mayor Michael Manning said that the swimming pool is open to residents of the city six days a week during the summer months. Manning did note that Resident ID cards are required and can be purchased for $5 for adults, $3 for children, and senior citizens can swim for free. The Resident ID cards are issued Monday through Friday from 12-5 p.m. at the Dome on corner of Second Avenue and 13th Street beginning in June.
Even though the pool is currently open six days a week, city officials said they are working to possibly have the pool open for a few hours on Sundays as well and that they’re currently working to improve the spray pool location near Veterans Memorial Park too.
“We’re contemplating a partial on Sunday’s,” said Manning. “In the adjacent park, we used to have a waiting spray pool, but the
complaint there was that a family with a ten-year-old, who could go into the larger pool and a three year old, who could go into the spray pool, but it was always two separate parks. We’re in the process of moving the spray pool in the same park as the main swimming pool.”
Manning went on to mention how city officials and volunteers will also continue the process of cleaning up and improving many of the city’s recreational parks for kids to be able to play on during the summertime. Manning also noted that three of the city’s recreational parks also have spray pools installed already.
“We want to make sure that the parks are clean and safe for children activities,” said Manning. “Depending on who we get on board for summer employment help, we put folks into the parks to do arts and crafts and other activities with the kids. The Watervliet Public Library and the Watervliet Civic Center also have a slate of summer activities for kids as well.”
Some other summertime program highlights from Manning includes some activities for adults, as well. On Tuesday and Thursday’s there will be an adult aqua action class offered for adults who want to do some water aerobics. Dates are still yet to be determined for yoga in the park event, which will be offered on select Sunday morning’s this summer in Green Park.
Manning went on to mention a popular men’s basketball league summer program that plays Monday and Wednesday evenings at the Watervliet Dome, along with free swim skills classes being offered in July and August for Watervliet residents over 42 inches tall.
Every Tuesday the city also hosts its summer concert series in Hudson Shores Parks from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and that continues through Sept. 12. The final main summer event in the city will be the Arsenal City Run which takes place on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 10 a.m.
Manning said he believes that it is important to offer all of these types of summer programs for residents in the city.
“It is important to give people activities to do during their summer and the pool also helps to cool people off,” said Manning.