Summertime, and the swimming is easy

The City of San Antonio has 24 pools in its inventory, but only nine are currently open on a limited schedule, thanks to a shortage of lifeguards. Eight outdoor pools are now open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and do not charge admission:

• Cassiano, 1440 S. Zarzamora (WEST SIDE)
• Dellview, 500 Basswood (NORTH SIDE)
• Fairchild, 1214 E. Crockett (EAST SIDE)
• Kingsborough, 350 Felps (SOUTH SIDE)
• Lady Bird Johnson, 10700 Nacogdoches (NORTHEAST SIDE)
• Spring Time, 6571 Spring Time (NORTHWEST SIDE)
• Southside Lions, 3100 Hiawatha (SOUTHEAST SIDE)
• Westwood, 7627 W. Military (WEST SIDE)

The San Antonio Natatorium, 1430 W. Cesar Chavez on San Antonio’s West Side, is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. On Saturdays, it is open from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. The indoor pool charges admission: $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (60 and up) and $2 for children (17 and under). Children ages 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult. The Natatorium is split into two sections. One side is for recreation, and the other side is for swimming laps.

NEISD’s North East Sports Park Pool, 12001 Wetmore Road on the city’s northeast side, is a bonus site. It offers free admission most Mondays and Saturdays from 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.

The Natatorium of Palo Alto College, located on San Antonio’s South Side, is currently being remodeled and isn’t expected to re-open until 2024.

Lifeguard shortage worst in memory

Even though lifeguards are paid $12.45 an hour and given a signing bonus of up to $1,000, the City is having difficulty competing with employers, like fast food chains, who are paying more. To help remedy the shortage, the City of San Antonio is offering FREE lifeguard classes for those age 16 and older who are excellent swimmers and love working with people. Qualified seniors who are looking for a fun way to spend the summer are encouraged to apply.

Splish Splash

For the younger set, San Antonio also offers six Splash Pads:

• Benavides Park, 1500 Saltillo (WEST SIDE)
• Elmendorf Lake Park, 3700 W. Commerce (WEST SIDE)
• Hemisfair, 434 S. Alamo (DOWNTOWN)
• Lincoln Park, 2915 E. Commerce (EAST SIDE)
• Martin Luther King Park, 3503 Martin Luther King (SOUTHEAST SIDE)
• Pearsall Park, 5102 Old Pearsall Road (SOUTHWEST SIDE)

Splash Pads are open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. with no charge for admission.

Classes and swim teams

For those interested in taking water aerobics, lifeguard training and/or swimming lessons, please visit ExploreSA to register. My daughter learned how to swim at San Pedro Springs Pool (pictured above) when she was four years old, and I still have warm memories of those halcyon days. Youth interested in competitive swimming practice four times per week to prepare for three weekend meets. A $10 registration fee includes a t-shirt and instruction. Youth must be able to swim 25 yards without assistance to be on a team.

Stay tuned

Keep an eye on the City of San Antonio’s Parks & Recreation Swimming and Aquatics’ webpage to stay updated. Staff are hopeful that more pools will open by mid-June. Also, be sure to bring along some spending money. If you’re lucky, one of the vendors from El Paraiso Original Ice Cream & Fruit Bars will be circling the pool with a cart full of goodness!

Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!