RSS Feed
Print Story
E-mail Story
Pool in Jastro Park reopens
Lessons, recreational swimming being offered
| Monday, Jul 9 2007 9:25 PM
Last Updated: Monday, Jul 9 2007 9:49 PM
Cannonball! Jastro Park's pool was opened for splishing and splashing Monday after being closed to fix leaks.
BAKERSFIELD.COM HOT TOPICS:
Loading Stories
Advertisement
Photos:
Swim instructor Brandon Grider shows the way to enter the pool for swimming lessons at Jastro Park. The pool reopened after being closed to repair a leak. Lizzy Privett, foreground, and Colin and Christian Mallard, background, take lessons at the pool.
Related Stories:
The pool is open through Aug. 4.
Sign-ups for two weeks of swim lessons are being taken today at the pool or the city's recreation and parks office, 900 Truxtun Ave.
Lessons are available from noon to 4 p.m. A second set of lesson programming kicks off July 23. Adaptive swim lessons for kids with special needs are available.
Lessons are $45 for city of Bakersfield residents and $58 for nonresidents.
Lizzy Privett, 10, was among the first group of waterbabies at Jastro this summer.
She knows how to swim but said she was "working on my strokes over water."
Her older sister, Cathryn Campbell cheered Lizzy's efforts from a table with an umbrella.
"We've been waiting for this pool to open for a long time," Campbell said. "It's the only pool in town that's decent. This one is more like a personal pool."
Joining Lizzy were brothers Christian and Colin Mallard, 8 and 5, respectively. Their great-grandmother, Reta Bidwell, was glad the pool opened.
The boys happily splashed and flailed in the water with instructor Brandon Grider.
"The 5-year-old will keep (Grider) busy. He does a lot of talking," Bidwell said.
Recreational swimmers can play at Jastro from 5 to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday and 12 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Cost is $1 per person.
Kids between 12 and 15 can learn to become junior lifeguards at Jastro for free. Guards must be 16 to work for the city of Bakersfield.
All seven of the city's pools will have free recreational swimming on Monday.
On July 17, people can drop off new or gently used bathing suits at city pool sites. Donating a suit earns you a free rec swim.
Bathing suits will be laundered by Today Cleaners and then given to those in need. Swimmers at city pools must wear bathing suits.
Public pools
Bakersfield
Daily recreational swimming prices range from $1 per day at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Siemon and Planz pools to $3 per day at the McMurtrey Aquatic Center.
Those prices may be reduced by $1 or waived for people who meet the state’s housing and urban development income guidelines.
Passes are available for immediate family members who live in the same residence and are valid for 15 visits during the summer.
Jefferson, MLK, Planz, McMurtrey Aquatic Center and Silver Creek pools are open for recreational swimming from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Siemon Pool is open from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 to 5 p.m. on the weekends.
Most city pools close for recreational swimming Aug. 4. Silver Creek and McMurtrey host recreational swimming until Aug. 19.
North of the River Recreation and Park District
North Beardsley has public swimming from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The North of the River pool hosts public swimming from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
Public swimming is $1 per day. Season passes are $50 and 30-day passes are $30. The Greenacres pool offers lessons only, from 9 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. Lessons and public swimming sessions end Aug. 10.
Call 392-2020 for more information about district aquatic programs.
Other cities
Barker Park Pool: 1280 Poplar Ave., Wasco. Open through August for recreational swimming from 1 to 3:30 p.m. seven days per week and 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Admission is $2. Swimming lessons are $30 for the first two children and $15 per each additional child. Call 758-3081.
Cesar Chavez Pool: 925 Ellington St., Delano. Open through Aug. 19. Admission is $1 for kids younger than 17 and $1.50 for adults. Swimming lessons are available. Call 721-3335.
Shafter Aquatic Center: 269 Poso Ave., Shafter. Open through July 30. Public swimming is from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Admission is $2. Call 746-3091.
Sgt. John Pinney Memorial Pool: 205 S. Warner St., Ridgecrest. Open through Sept. 1. Lap swimming is from 12 to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 to 9 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Open swimming is from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Saturdays is Family Night from 5 to 9 p.m. Open swimming costs $1.50 for youth 18 and younger and $2.75 for adults. Lap swimming is $2 for kids 18 and younger and $3 for adults. Family Night admission is $7 for a family of five. Swimming lessons are available.
Walter Glenn Natatorium: 821 4th St., Taft. Open through Aug. 17. Lap swimming is from 6 to 7:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday and 7:15 to 8:30 p.m Monday through Friday. Open swimming is from 1:30 to 5:15 p.m., Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is $2. Monthly passes are $30 for individuals and $75 for family monthly passes. Call 763-4246.