The wading pools and Flandrau closed two weeks ago. Park and Rec Director Joey Schugel said the splash pad stays open later due to its ease of use.

“With our wading pools they are staffed Memorial Day through mid-August,” he said. “At this time we see employees going back to high school and college. Later on in the summer, we can see days where it’s not as warm. It’s not used as much near the end of the summer. With the splash pad operable with the press of a button, it’s pretty staff and user friendly.”

Schugel said this year was another successful year for the splash pad, even if it wasn’t always hot.

“This year we didn’t see the consistently hot temperatures but we saw very good attendance throughout,” he said. “With the location, there’s youth baseball games nearby so it brings them there. There are also daycares and youth groups who come over and use it.”

The splash pad sits empty as it gets closer to its Labor Day closure for the year.

While the Rec Center’s indoor pool is usually available year-round for those looking to cool off, it is currently undergoing seasonal maintenance. Schugel said this will happen yearly, to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

“We drain it and do maintenance we wouldn’t be able to do with water in it,” he said. “Cleaning of drains and skimmers. That’s huge for our maintenance staff. We are also replacing the main pool pump. There’s a little more work this year for the long haul.”

The pool is projected to be open by next Wednesday. It may seem like bad timing to close the pool while most other water features are either shut down or close to it, but Schugel said there are several reasons this is the right time.

“We could shut it down at any time,” he said. “We chose this week because there are no swim lessons scheduled, schools are back in session so less use, and we are changing our aquatic staff with students leaving and MLC students coming back. We know there will be impacts whenever we shut it down, but we know this maintenance is important.”

With the splash pad nearing its fourth full year of usage, Schugel said it has met the expectations set when it was constructed.

“It’s another option to get relief in the summertime and have a water feature,” he said. “I think the biggest thing the splash pad brings is how inclusive it is for all kids to be able to easily use it. The splash pad is truly an inclusive amenity and you see that with all the use by people from all over.”

The wading pools will be receiving a fresh coat of paint this fall, as they do every few years. Besides this, Schugel said no changes are currently planned between now and next summer.