Cliff Hutchinson, right, and Bill Hopkins of Emporia Construction and Remodeling clean out the Lazy River at the Jones Aquatic Center Wednesday afternoon. The aquatic center is being worked on to open by Memorial Weekend.
If it can float, it’ll probably end up in the Jones Aquatics Center this summer.
Dogs, cardboard rafts and even lap swimmers will get their turn in the pool this year. The 2007 season starts Saturday with a new aquatics supervisor to oversee the merry chaos — Mike Lynch, a former intern at the Emporia Recreation Center.
“Once the season starts and we start getting people out here, it probably takes about three weeks before you have it under control and know everything,” said the recreation center’s assistant director Connie Smith, who served as the acting supervisor last year. “It’s pretty smooth after that.”
Last year’s attendance held pretty steady — a total of 17,493, down by only 150 people from 2005. The aquatics center finished about $6,000 in the red, which in the world of city-subsidized pools is practically breaking even. The year before, the aquatics center made $1,000.
This year, there’s been no problem hiring lifeguards. A little bit of pool maintenance, though, is coming down to the last minute. The lazy river, used for innertube drifting, was still being repainted this week and may not be done in time for opening day.
“You’ve just got to roll with the punches every year,” said recreation director Tom McEvoy.
One thing that will be coming back this year is the Pooch Plunge, a one-day end-of-the-season romp in the pool for dogs of all descriptions. Last year, pet owners brought 50 dogs to the aquatics center, mostly larger breeds.
“We did have one little Yorkie out there, but he didn’t get too much into the water,” Smith said.
There are several new things this year as well to go with the familiar favorites. To start with, lap swimmers will be able to use the pool from 6 to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the season.
“It’s been hinted at a couple of times ... that it would be nice to have something available,” Smith said.
Also new is the July 14 Raft Day. Through July 6, patrons will be able to buy “raft kits” for $5 and use them to build a cardboard boat that can carry someone across the length of the pool. The best time wins.
Regular pool hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 8 p.m. on the weekend. Tickets are $2.50 for children ages 5 through 15, $4.50 for swimmers age 16 and over, and no charge for 4-year-olds or younger who are accompanied by a paying adult.
Starting June 8, there is also a family swim night on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. through June and July.
The schedule of special events is:
• Saturday — Opening Day. All paying swimmers get a half-off coupon good for any other day in the regular season.
• June 17 — Father’s Day swim. Dads are free with a paid child’s admission.
• July 4 — Independence Day and Emporia Sesquicentennial. Swimmers pay half price for admission.
• July 14 — Raft Day.
• Aug. 12 — Pool shifts to weekend hours only.
• Sept. 3 — Labor Day. Traditional closing date for the pool.
• Sept. 8 — Pooch Plunge from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 per dog, but no cost for their owners.
The closing day is still up in the air. Traditionally, attendance goes through the floor after school starts.
Last year, it cost about $15,000 to keep the aquatics center open in the final month of the season. But so far, no official word has come down from the city to end the season earlier.
“Right now, we’re planning to stay open until we get told to change,” Smith said.
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