Summer Guide 2012: Outdoor Pools in Chicago's Western Suburbs

School is out for summer, so it's time to pull out the swimsuits, the suncreen and the beach towels! We hope this guide might inspire your family to try out a few new pools this summer. We really do have an embarrassment of riches in Chicago's far western suburbs. If you know of a pool in the area that's open to the public but not on this list, please share. We'd also love to hear your personal take or tips on any of the spots below. 

OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOLS

The toddler pool at Otter Cove Aquatic Park is enclosed by a gate. Photo by Tara Burghart.Otter Cove Aquatic Park, part of the St. Charles Park District
Address: Located in James O Breen Community Park, at the corner of Campton Hills and Peck roads in St. Charles
Hours: A bit complicated. Click here for details.
Closing date: Sept. 3.
Amenities: A zero-depth entry activity pool; 25-yard swimming pool; body slide; tube slide; two diving boards, lap lanes; some sprayground-like features; gated toddler pool; lazy river; concession area; and family restrooms.
Admission Rates: For non-residents, $13 each. (Check the site for resident rates.) Twilight rate is $5 for all ages, whether you're a resident or not. It's from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. everyday until Aug. 10 but Sunday, when the twilight swim is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Twilight swim ends Aug. 10.
Go West’s Take: This 9-acre facility was in the planning stages and then under construction for several years. In my opinion, the wait was worth it! My daughter and I visited a number of times last summer, and each time we spent the bulk of our time in one of the featured pools: First the toddler pool, then the general-interest activity pool and then the lazy river. It really does offer something for every age, and the facility is so clean and nice and shiny! It is indeed more expensive than most other pools on this list, so try to take advantage of the twilight rate or look for one of the "buy one, get one free" coupons in the mail.

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Opening Dates for Public Pools and Spraygrounds

A slide at Wing Park Family Aquatic Center in Elgin. Photo by Tara Burghart.The season of summer doesn't officially start until June 20, but let's get real ... summer is here! And it looks like we're in for some steamy weather over Memorial Day weekend. Next week, I'll be posting the updated Go West Guide to Outdoor Pools and Splash Parks, with info on admission rates, hours, amenities and more. 

But in the meantime, here's a list of opening dates for pools, splash parks and spraygrounds in the western suburbs. Some don't open until June, but there are enough opening this weekend that you should be able to find one that will help you keep cool! 

Note: Please check the operating hours closely. Even if the pool opens this weekend, many of them have shortened hours until the first or second week of June. 

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Review: Otter Cove Aquatic Park in St. Charles

Last spring Go West Young Mom brought you a sneak peek of Otter Cove Aquatic Park in St. Charles. If you haven’t visited yet this summer, this review will help you decide if you want to squeeze in a trip to the area’s newest pool complex before Labor Day.

Looking out toward the activity pool and slides. Photo by Tara Burghart.NAME: Otter Cove Aquatic Park in St. Charles, part of the St. Charles Park District.

LOCATION: In James O. Been Community Park on the corner of Peck Roads and Campton Hills Roads in St. Charles, about 2 1/2 miles west of downtown St. Charles.

AMENITIES: A completely fenced-in, zero-depth-entry toddler pool; a zero-depth-entry “activity pool” for general use; a deep pool with diving boards, lap lanes and drop slides; a zero-depth-entry lazy river; a body slide and a raft slide; access to thee splash park; concession stand; family restrooms; lift chairs for swimmers with special needs.

HOURS: Through Aug. 14, the pool is open weekdays from noon to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For Aug. 15 through Aug. 23, the pool is open weekdays from noon to 6:30 p.m. and on weekends from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. From Aug. 24 through Sept. 4, the pool is open weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and weekdays from noon to 6:30 p.m.  On Labor Day, it will be open from noon to 7 p.m. for the last day of the 2011 season. Click here for more info on hours.

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Weekend Spotlight: Dime Day at Swanson Pool in St. Charles

I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve seen a lot of pools these last two summers. One of my favorites is Swanson Pool in Pottawatomie Park along the Fox River in St. Charles.

I don't have a good photo of Swanson Pool, so this dime will have to do. Photo by mikedemers on Flickr.And this Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m., you can check it out for just a dime.

“Dime Day” is the part of the St. Charles Park District’s celebration of its 100^th anniversary. It was also conceived as a way to mark the renovation of Swanson Pool, which first opened in 1938. It was constructed during the Great Depression with the help of a $367,000 grant from the Works Progress Administration.

Now I’m sure that “Dime Day” has the potential to be quite a zoo tomorrow.

But if you get a chance, try to make it to Swanson Pool this summer. I loved it last year, but this year it’s even better after massive renovations that turned the large “activity pool” into one with zero-depth entry. Family rest rooms were added, the concession stand was remodeled and another pool was returned to its original 1938 dimensions of 50 meters – a size rare to find nowadays. In the shallow end of the activity pool, you’ll find various water play features to keep the young kids happy, and out of the water, a sand play area. There are also a couple diving boards, a couple drop slides, two waterslides, lap lanes and a “lily pad” in which tweens and teens (and adventurous adults) can try to hop across the water holding onto a rope for support.

The renovations made it modern and up to date, but Swanson Pool still retains a sense of history and charm. While splashing in the pool, massive, beautiful old trees from Pottawatomie Park can be seen overhead, and the pool’s buildings are constructed of limestone from local quarries.

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Five Great ... Ways to Improve Public Pools

Last week, we brought you the Go West “Pooley Awards,” celebrating what’s great about the public pools, beaches, splash parks and spraygrounds (mostly owned and operated by park districts) in the far western ‘burbs.  This week, we want to suggest five changes that could be made to make them even better.

Naperville's Centennial Beach, pictured here, has nights for families with special needs. More pools should do the same. Photo by wuperruper on Flickr.Bring Your Own: Most of the aquatic parks don’t allow you to bring your own food and drink inside. That means if you’re at the pool over lunch or dinnertime, you’re going to have to pay $3 or $4 a sandwich for concession food that’s not healthy and usually not too stellar in quality, either. With sides and drinks, a concession bill for a family can quickly top $25. Aquatic parks should let visitors bring in their own coolers with food to eat in the concession area. The kids will still likely end up buying popsicles or ice cream. But I’m all for vigilantly enforcing the “no eating by the pool” rule.

All in the Family: A few of the newer aquatic parks have family restrooms, but they’re not that common overall. I know it’s a space issue, but family restrooms are a godsend when you have a adventurous toddler who likes to climb out from underneath the stall or changing room curtain while mom is getting dressed. I’m sure they’re appreciated by larger families, too, when one mom is trying to keep track of a group of young kids. And of course they’re useful for dads taking their daughters to the restrooms.

More Hooks!: Please add some more hooks and shelves to the bathhouses. The floors are always sandy and wet – and while you might be lucky enough to find space on a bench on which to to balance your beach towel and bag, it usually ends up falling to the messy floor. Ick.

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