When do Allegheny County's pools and spray parks open for the summer?
NORTH PARK, Pa. (KDKA) -- On Thursday, Allegheny County announced the schedule for opening their public pools and spray parks.
Hundreds of lifeguards and pool staff are hired and now Andy Grobe, the deputy director of parks for Allegheny County, says they have three big pools ready to go.
"Settlers Cabin Park Wave Pool out by the airport, Boyce Park Wave Pool in Monroeville and North Park Pool here in McCandless," said Grobe. "We will be open seven days a week starting June 1 through Labor Day weekend. Usually the last two weeks in August, we end up closing during the week just because all of our kids go back to school for college and we don't have the staff, but we're pretty much open every day, all summer."
Grobe says it takes about nine days to fill the millions of gallons of water in all of these pools around the county. There is one pool, however, that is going to remain dry, at least for a few more weeks, and that is the South Park Wave Pool. It is undergoing repairs and the installation of a new liner. It is expected to be open later in June if the weather cooperates.
But despite the slight delay in South Park, North Park has a newly renovated baby pool and spray park.
Daily hours of operation for all county pools are 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., weather and conditions permitting. Concessions will also be open daily. County spray parks like Deer Lakes Spray Park and Round Hill Spray Park will open for the season on Saturday, June 1 as well and are free and open daily, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., weather and conditions permitting.
"We added shade structures for the patrons to sit under and it provides some actual shade on the pool itself," Grobe said. "This pool is designed for younger kids and younger families. We added two slides, we added spray features. It used to be one water feature in the middle of the pool, now we have seating for parents to just dip their toes in and still watch their kids. It is just an overall of the entire area."
Season passes are on sale and can be purchased online or in-person. For additional information, visit www.alleghenycounty.us/pools.
For additional information and to arrange group discounts, call the Boyce Park Wave Pool at 724-325-4667, North Park Swimming Pool at 724-935-1951, Settlers Cabin Park Wave Pool at 412-787-2668 or South Park Wave Pool at 412-831-0810.