It’ll be hot this week: 5 ways to stay cool
City pools in Columbus closed for the season on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean that hot weather will be going away any time soon. Quite the opposite, in fact. The National Weather Service office in Wilmington is predicting high temperatures in the low 90s through the weekend.
It doesn’t seem fair to have to face scorching temperatures like that without a little respite. So what options are left?
Fortunately, Columbus-area residents can still find ways to have it made in the shade — even when it’s hot there too. Here are five suggestions to point you in the right direction.
Other Columbus-area pools
Just because the pools in Columbus have called it a summer doesn’t mean that the suburbs have done the same. A number of them remain open, extending summer fun for a few additional days or weeks. Make sure to check ahead of time to see if nonresidents are able to use the facility or must come as guests.
Pools around the Columbus area that remain open for now include:
h Worthington Pools close for the
summer on Sept. 10
h Bexley’s David H. Madison Community Pool complex is open through Sept. 5
h Grandview Heights Municipal Pool closes Sept. 6
h The Highlands Park Aquatic Center in Westerville closes Sept. 6
The Columbus Aquatics Center will re-open for programming the week of Sept. 20.
Splash pads in the suburbs
While “spraygrounds” run by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department closed for the summer at the same time as the pools, there are splashpads in other communities that remain open. These include:
h Grove City’s splash pad in Fryer Park, open through Sept. 5
h Hilliard’s Station Park, which is open through Sept. 30
h Obetz‘s splash pad, which closes Labor Day
h Powell’s splash pad in Village Green Park, open through Labor Day
Scioto Mile Fountain
The popular fountain Downtown at Bicentennial Park reopened Aug 2, and will remain open until Sept. 6.
In June, Columbus Parks and Recreation Department officials reported that the Scioto Mile Fountain would be closed for the entire summer because many children would have not yet have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Also, the city predicted it would take up to $750,000 worth of repairs to fix the fountain’s underground water pipes.
But the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation decided to make a fix that was under $30,000 so Columbus families could enjoy the fountain for the last lingering weeks of warm weather even though two of the fountain’s halos will remain dry. Now’s a good time to be thankful for that!
Zoombezi Bay
You can still devote a day cruising through the rushing tides at Zoombezi Bay, as long as you stick to the weekend. The water park, located just north of Columbus in Delaware County, is now open on weekends only through Sept. 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located at 4850 Powell Road in the Powell area, the park boasts slides, funnels and other rides.
Alum Creek State Park Beach
The largest inland beach in the state park system at 3,000 feet, Alum Creek is more than a boater’s paradise. It offers a swimming hole that’s bigger than any pool in the city — and a sandy beach that’s perfect for making castles. There’s even a playground and, and if you feel like spending the night at the park’s campground, a special, smaller beach just for you. rsmith@dispatch.com @Readryansmith