Why Sacramento pools remain closed during October heat wave

By Shelby Reilly

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KOVR) — People are trying to find ways to beat the heat at several pools in Sacramento that have closed recreational swimming for the summer season.

“We don’t do anything to beat the heat right now, we’re just hot,” Mila Evans, Sacramento resident, said.

Twelve city pools in Sacramento have ended recreational swimming for the season, although another heat wave came the first week of October.

“Running and maintaining our public pools is one of the most expensive amenities in our parks system that we have in the city of Sacramento,” Victoria Vasquez, the Chair of the Parks and Community and Enrichment Commission, said.

Vasquez said in order to keep the pools open into the fall season, they would need advanced planning in the budget.

“We need to build in some flexibility so that we would be able to stay open a little longer, when typically our seasonal lifeguards might be the age of students who might be going back to school in the fall,” Vasquez said.

The Southside Pool didn’t open at all during this summer season.

It has been closed for repairs since 2022 and has sat empty for three summers in a row.

“I forgot about the pool and that’s how long it hasn’t been open,” Silas Philpot, Sacramento resident, said.

Philpot said he lives near the Southside Pool and it would be nice to be able to take his daughter there or any pool during a hot day.

Evans said although she has a hard time finding ways to beat the heat, she said she is OK with the current length of the pool season.

“I think kids are going back to school and kids should be in school and I think that’s important because safety is a major thing right now,” Evans said.

Vasquez said there are no plans right now to have pools stay open later but there are plans to hold fall events at the pool to help cool people down.

“This is a great time to build in that future capacity for your community pool to stay open longer so that you can receive that cooling benefit of our pools,” Vasquez said.

North Natomas Aquatic Complex is still open Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. for recreational swimming until Oct. 13.

They will also have a floating pumpkin patch event on Oct. 19.

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