Even when school returns Wednesday, time at the pool need not depart.
Amber Cruz and her three children, ages 10, 13 and 15, already know. With season passes, they still will visit Donner Aquatic Center at 739 22nd St. in Columbus until the facility closes for the season Aug. 13. That includes weekday hours from 4 to 7 p.m. with reduced-admission prices.
“We just live a short distance across town, so the kids easily can even ride the city bus here,” Cruz said, while holding her 9-month-old granddaughter on a recent 90-plus-degree afternoon at the pool. “Because it’s still getting very hot, people will still consistently show up even after school.”
The late-in-the-season last dash for a splash also offers one other advantage — smaller crowds than the 500-plus people per day of recent weeks, Cruz said.
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But this weekend marks the last school’s-out sessions at the pool, with hours from noon to 6 p.m. today and Sunday, weather permitting.
Jim Lemke, aquatics manager for the city of Columbus, mentioned that Donner crowds normally dip slightly after the close of the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair. But that didn’t happen recently.
“I don’t know if more people just aren’t going on vacation or what this year. But attendance has remained pretty good after the fair,” Lemke said.
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What: Donner Aquatic Center at 739 22nd St. in Columbus.
Schedule: Noon to 6 p.m. today and Sunday as normal; 1 to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday as normal. Once school begins on Wednesday, the schedule changes to 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays Aug. 2-4 and 7-11.
Last two weekends of Aug. 5-6 and Aug. 12-13 will be from noon to 6 p.m.
Admission: Reduced prices on weekdays beginning Wednesday. Adults, $2; age 17 and younger, $1. Weekend admission will remain the same as follows:
Adults: $4 a day
Ages 6-17: $3.50 a day
Ages 3-5: $2 a day
Ages 2 and under: Free.
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It seems only fair that Fido gets a dip in the pool to beat the late-summer heat.
That’s the idea behind the 13th annual Doggie Swim at the Donner Aquatic Center. The event will unfold from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 13.
Cost is $5 per dog, but no registration is required. Each dog must be accompanied by a handler and be on a leash unless they are in the water.
Dog handlers are allowed to remain in water up to their waist.
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