Children by the hundreds are rushing to Donner Aquatic Center to spend the first part of their summer break poolside.
After an unexpected maintenance delay twice prevented the facility from opening as planned Memorial Day weekend, the pool finally kicked off its new season Monday, nine days beyond the original start date.
“I get excited getting the pool filled, getting the lifeguards ready, seeing the kids and families from the year before,” aquatics center manager Jim Lemke said.
Children, teenagers and parents lined up outside the entrance on opening day, eager to kick off the summer in the water. That day alone, 690 people visited the park.
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Two of the first people in line were Gabriella Graham and Kandice Seward, who both just wrapped up sixth grade.
“I have been coming here since I was little. This is where I learned to swim,” Seward said.
The pool is a favorite summer location for children and their families — for lessons or leisure. This week, it’s been a respite from temperatures that have been running in the upper 80s.
“A lot of kids buy pool passes and come every day,” Lemke said. “This will be their summer hangout.”
That describes middle school student Samia Hatton and her friends, who spend their summers together at the pool and enjoy the social aspect of it.
“There’s so many people here,” Hatton said. “You meet new people and see people you haven’t seen in a while.”
The atmosphere also attracts patrons from outside Columbus who simply prefer the Donner pool to others.
Jessica Sullivan had lived in Columbus until about three years ago. She and her family now live in the small Jennings County community of Hayden, but Sullivan returns to Donner pool with her two sons frequently throughout the summer.
Sons Ryley and Jacob have spent many summers poolside beneath the summer sun.
“I like that I can go around and have fun and be outdoors,” Ryley Sullivan said.
Jessica Sullivan said she appreciates the variety of facilities available at Donner, since her children are different ages and favor different activities. For example, 4-year-old Jacob expressed his excitement at being allowed on the 160-foot-long slide, but his older brother prefers being in the pool or using the diving boards.
With all the amenities so close to each other, Sullivan can be near both sons while they use the facilities.
Virginia Wells brings her four grandchildren to Donner Aquatic Center every summer with her sister, Joyce Barnes. With season passes, they are frequent visitors.
“Jim knows who we are,” Wells said of Lemke. “We are first in line every year.”
Wells’ grandson, Taeshawn Tungate, said he enjoys returning to the pool with her each year to use the diving board, although his younger brother, Adrean, prefers the slide.
They weren’t the only ones, as the slide and diving boards were in nonstop use on opening day.
Seeing lifeguards seated high on their chairs overseeing swimmers made a positive impression on first-time poolgoer Fabi Ani.
Originally from Brazil, Ani has lived in the Columbus for 10 months with Monday her visit to the park. She plans to be back.
“In Brazil, we go to the pools, but we don’t have many lifeguards,” she said.
Recent Columbus North graduate Gretchen Bless has worked at the pool for four years, but not from the guard stands. She leads swim lessons, which also began Monday.
“I look forward to summer because I get to work here,” she said. “It’s just the people and the atmosphere.”
Donner Aquatic Center will be open through Aug. 10.
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Location
739 22nd St., Columbus
Hours
- 1-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, through Aug. 7; 4-7 p.m. Aug. 8-10.
- Noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays
Prices
- Ages 18 and over: $6
- Ages 6-17: $5
- Ages 3-5: $3
- Ages 2 and under: free
- Season passes $50 per person.
Swim lessons
- Monday-Thursday for 2-week periods
- Next sessions start June 18 and July 2
- $30 per person, with registration online.
More information
- Visit columbusparksandrec.com
- Call 812-376-2683
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