Wardman Park Pool re-opens after three years

Families in Desert Hot Springs are celebrating the re-opening of one of their community pools.

Rene Hickey has taught swim lessons at the Wardman Park pool for 25 years.

But when the pool fell on hard times and closed three years ago, Hickey knew it needed to be saved.

“It’s had it’s ups and downs. It’s been very busy for the most part, but then to see it fall off and not have any activity for the community at all was heartbreaking,” Hickey said.

Now, after years of hard work Hickey is back in the pool doing what she does best.

“Thanks to the Desert Hot Springs community task force approaching me back in the fall, we were able to combine efforts and raise money to save and manage to keep the pool,” Hickey said.

Aided by a grant from the California Foundation for Stronger Communities, the pool is officially back up and running.

Hickey said If they didn’t get that $25,000 grant, the pool would have been filled in, never to be used again.

For years Hickey not only taught kids to swim, but set many young adults up for the workplace.

“For now it’s all about infants and small children. It’s about teenagers having junior lifeguard training and rebuilding our bank so we can produce quality lifeguards like we’ve been doing for a long time,” Hickey said.

Haylee Krachman has been coming to this pool since she was 2 years old.

Now, she’s back at the same place she learned to swim more than a decade later.

“I’m so glad this pool stayed open so that I can really cherish the moments I have here,” Krachman said.

Hickey said she couldn’t be more grateful.

“It means a lot. It’s got my heart and my soul and I’m just so happy and grateful for everyone that has come fourth,” Hickey said.

Hickey plans to get more kids signed up for swim lessons and life guard certifications.

If you would like more information on their programs click here.