Kids will dive into as a summer tradition returns to the city tonight.
Philadelphia's Parks and Recreation Department will mark the opening of pool season with a first swim at Vogt Recreation Center at 6700 Cottage Street in the Mayfair section of Northeast Philly.
Vogt is the first of 70 outdoor city pools and spraygrounds to open this summer. By the end of the month the rest will be open, according to Parks and Recreation Department spokesman Alain Joinville.
Joinville says that once the pools begin opening that the department will open eight to 10 pools each day until all the pools are open.
The pools offer free fun for the entire family and serve as a way for people to cool off during hot summer days drawing more than 1 million visitors last summer alone.
But, the pools also serve as a temporary job creator as more than 800 employees including lifeguards, pool attendants, maintenance workers and others are hired for the season.
The public pools will be open seven days a week (Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends) for anywhere from the next eight to 10 weeks, Joinville said.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
After past years when the city pools opening were in question due to the city’s budget woes, this year the $2.8 million needed to open and operate the pools was set aside in the city budget.
Joinville said that most of the pools feature camps and other programs. Interested parents or guardians should go to their local recreation centers for sign-up information. Click here to find the closest pool to you.
