New Osmond Municipal Swimming Pool opens Saturday

OSMOND — After much anticipation — especially by children who have been looking forward to this for months — the new Osmond Municipal Pool opened on Saturday, June 20.

According to City Council member and Pool Commissioner Neil Wattier, the pool opened at 1 p.m.; however, kids were lined up outside the door by 11:30 a.m.-12 noon wanting to be the first to jump in the water. Some 40 to 50 kids were counted at the swimming pool on Saturday.

On that day, according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, Wattier said, the pool was only allowed 25% of its capacity of 200. Beginning Monday, the city is now allowed 75% of capacity, which is 150.

It has been almost two years since the community has been able to take advantage of the local pool to cool off during the summer. A ground-breaking ceremony for the new pool was held on Monday, July 22, 2019, and work was begun that same week by Christiansen Construction.

Features of the new pool include a lily pad walk, diving board, volleyball net, portable basketball hoop, spiral slide, double kiddie slide, geysers, handicap-accessible chair lift and three shade huts.

Since then, residents have been anxiously watching and waiting as the plans for the pool have taken shape and slowly become reality. Earlier this month, the date of June 20 was set for opening day; however, that date was not set in stone as the city had to make sure the inspection of the pool went well.

Luckily, everything checked out and the weather also cooperated so the pool could be opened as planned.

Information about hours, ticket prices and regulations is included in an ad on Page 3 of this issue.