Splish splash in the future and past; Glen Park pool turns 75

• Glen Park Pool

Glen Park Pool -- top, 1937; bottom, 2011. Submitted photos

Talk about it

Most River Falls residents want to know the splashdown date: Glen Park Pool officially opens its 2012 season 1 p.m. Thursday, June 7, according to Recreation Coordinator Cindi Danke.

An even broader group of people may be interested to know the pool turns 75 this year. The occasion will be marked Aug. 15 with a city-planned celebration at 6 p.m.

River Falls will conduct the event in 1937 style, with live era music played by the high school band, speeches, and a ribbon cutting.

Pool-admission prices throughout the day will be the same as when the pool opened, 10 cents for kids and 20 cents for adults.

The anniversary party will also include a display of swimwear styles through 75 years.

Though some school groups will swim there as part of their last days of school June 6, the pools opens for daily swimming and regular hours June 7.

• Open swimming every day 1-4:45 p.m.; Sunday-Friday 6:15-8:15 p.m.; Saturday 12:30-4:45 p.m.

• Lap swimming 7:30-8:30 a.m. June 18 through Aug.16 and every day 5-6 p.m. June 7 through Aug. 24

• Family fun nights are 6:15-8:15 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Friday; floating toys welcome

• Weekend pool parties available by reservation for up to 30 people.

• Swimming lessons are given 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. June 11 through Aug. 17 and available to swimmers of all ages and levels of experience.

• Call parks office for swim-lesson information: 715-425-0924.The direct number to the Glen Park Pool is 715-425-0933.

Costs

• $2.50 per person admission per day; $1.50 after 5 p.m.

• $1.50 per person admission for lap swim and family fun night

• Children 4 and under enter free with a paying adult.

• $50-$75 for resident-non resident individual season pool pass

• $100-$150 for resident-non resident family, two to four members, season pool pass

• $150-$200 for resident-non resident family, five to six members, season pool pass

• $50-$75 for a pool party, depending on the number of people.

Some pool rules: Lifeguards are on duty; children 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult; floating toys welcome only on family fun nights; diapered children must wear swim diapers; and, the pool closes in severe weather or when it is cooler outside than 64 degrees.

Much more information about the pool is available at the city’s web site: www.rfcity.org, click on departments, parks and recreation and 2012 program brochure, then scroll to page 21.

Danke says that to supplement the Aug. 15 anniversary, the city seeks pictures of the pool, stories about it, memories of it -- people who swam there as kids or worked as a lifeguard.

The Glen Park pool and its bathhouse haven’t changed much over the years. Improvements in recent history include a new drain and heater plus some upgrades to the mechanical room and bathhouse.

The River Falls Historic Preservation Commission designated the pool as a local historic landmark in 2005, dedicating it with a pole-mounted plaque in spring of 2006.

The HPC gave some pool history at that time, saying that construction of the pool happened during the Depression era as part of a federal program focused on municipal projects aimed at putting people to work.

That background is part of what makes the pool important to local history.

City Administrator Scot Simpson says the city allocated $7,500 in its 2012 budget to make some minor pool upgrades and host the celebration event.

He said the city would like to match that amount in community donations and/or grants to help make improvements such as enlarging the patio area with fencing plus adding tables, umbrellas and benches.

Simpson said River Falls is glad to have the pool running after 75 years.

Anyone interested in offering items for the celebration should contact Danke either by phone at 715-425-0924 or at cdanke@rfcity.org.

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