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Signs of summer — local swimming pools opening this week

CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 6 months AGO
by CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | June 12, 2024 3:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — It took a while but it’s finally here. Summer has arrived, and one way to tell is that the swimming pool is open.

Opening day is different in different communities, but it’s usually tied to the day school is dismissed for the summer. Tuesday was the first day of daily operation at the Surf ‘n Slide water park in Moses Lake, which will be open through Aug. 27. Surf ‘n Slide, 401 W. Fourth St.,  is open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 

Daily admission is $18 for youths from 5 to 17 years of age. Adult daily admission is $19 and $18 for seniors 65 years of age and older. Children three to four years of age are $10, and children less than two years of age are admitted free.

Season passes and 10-session punch cards are available for both city and non-city residents. They can be purchased on the city’s website, www.cityofml.com. The pool has its own link under the Parks and Recreation tab. 

The Splash Zone, 780 A St. SE in Ephrata, opened Sunday. It’s open from noon to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday. 

Admission is $12 for children six to 17 years of age. Adult admission is $14 for people 18 to 60 years of age and $14 for seniors 60 years of age and older. Children five years of age and younger are admitted free. Lap swimmers of any age are charged $7.

Both residents and non-residents can buy season passes as well as punch cards. They can be purchased on the city’s website, www.ephrata.org, under the parks and recreation tab. 

The Quincy Aquatic Center opens Friday for the summer, and for 2024 both the water slide and the main pool will be open. Quincy’s Aquatic Center is unusual in that the pool house separates the waterslide from the main pool, and the main pool was closed for part of summer 2023 for equipment repairs.

The open recreation swim is from 1 to 4:30 p.m. daily, and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Parks and Recreation Director Russ Harrington said there is the potential to add more open recreation sessions in the evening, depending on the number of lifeguards. The lap swim is noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, which is when the water aerobics structure is available.

Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for youths. Season passes are available for residents and non-residents and can be purchased through a link on the activity registration page (under the parks and recreation tab) on the city’s website, www.quincywashington.us.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].

    Children play in the zero-entry end of the Surf ‘n Slide water park in Moses Lake. As temperatures approach the triple digits, pools in and around Grant and Adams counties will offer welcome reprieves from the heat.
 
 


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