LITTLE ROCK — Until Little Rock found the cash to keep its city pools afloat this summer, a lot of children were facing the prospect of a hot, dry and cranky end to their vacations.
With only two city-run pools for a population just under 185,000, Little Rock families — unless they live in a subdivision with a private community pool — don’t have many swimming options anyway.
But nearby cities have pools. Are they worth a short drive?
We looked around and found places to chill out that ranged from fun and fabulous to murky and mediocre.
We only checked pools that allow anyone to swim — regardless of residency — for a day-use fee. For grins, we included one free venue that’s not a swimming pool at all.
Two cities — Jacksonville and Maumelle — have clearly made a commitment to keeping their residents cool. Their municipal pools blow their neighbors’ swim spaces right out of the water.
SPLASH ZONE, JACKSONVILLE
This city-run water park, with its soaring dual corkscrew slides and playground structure right in the middle of the kiddie pool, is reminiscent of much larger (and pricier at $35 per person) water parks like Wild River Country in North Little Rock or Crystal Falls in Hot Springs. Many will consider its smaller size a plus — no chasing the kids across acres of hot concrete.
At the Splash Zone, a parent comfortable with a child’s swimming abilities can plop down in one of the plentiful lounge chairs, read a book and watch Junior happily flit from slide to fountain to diving board.
The Splash Zone has three distinct pools: the shallow one, only 2 1 /2 feet at its deepest, has a walk-in ramp flanked by arcing jets of water. Colorful mushroom-shaped fountains spill from above, and the in-water playground “fort” has water cannons and two slides for little ones.
A traditional pool ranges from 4 to 11 feet deep and has the aforementioned diving board. This seems to be where the big kids hang out.
The third pool is at the base of the water slides where a lifeguard stays close to make sure each slider is safely out of the way before another takes his turn.
The price (see below) is the best value we found, not necessarily because it’s the lowest, but because it’s the lowest for a fabulous facility.
The Splash Zone’s one disadvantage may be an advantage for early birds: Admission is restricted to 353 people, so it’s not overcrowded even on the most popular days. Arrive early if you’re going on a weekend, when the pool — which opens at noon — often reaches capacity by 1:30 p.m., according to management.
Worth the trip? Absolutely.
For hungry tummies: Hot dogs, nachos, pizza by the slice, chips, candy bars and ice cream served in an area with covered seating and tables. No outside food is allowed in the pool park, but a grassy tree-shaded area just outside the gates has picnic tables and playground equipment.
Is it clean? Sparkling.
Admission: $4, under 2 free; $1 for slide privileges. Credit and debit cards accepted.
Hours: Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Address: 201 W. Martin St., Jacksonville
Information: (501) 982-7946 or www.cityofjacksonville. net follow the link under “Parks & Recreation.”
DOWELL NAYLOR AQUATIC CENTER, MAUMELLE
Another contender for top pool is Maumelle’s Dowell Naylor Aquatic Center, which features two big slides — one flume style, the other a 100-foot corkscrew. The generous main pool is about twice the size of the Splash Zone’s and has a diving board over its deepest area (12 feet).
The shallow kiddie pool end has a feature that the sun-shy will appreciate — a covered pavilion over a curved concrete bench in the shallow water. Nearby there are mushroom-shape fountains and water jets.
For those who seek the sun, the peninsula-like concrete deck separating the two pool sections makes a superior sunning spot. At its outermost end a relatively narrow channel of water connects the shallow and deep ends of the pool.
There are plenty of lounge chairs and some shady pavilions. The radio, set to a popmusic station, sets a festive mood.
The only disadvantage — the price: $10 for nonresidents.
Need a snack: Pizza, pretzels, hot dogs, nachos, candy and slush puppies. Outside food and drinks not allowed. There is a picnic table near the adjacent community center.
Address: 1100 Edgewood Drive, Maumelle
Hours: Closed Mondays. Noon-7 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday.
Cost: $10 for nonresidents, $5 for Maumelle residents and guests; children 3 and younger pay $1. Credit and debit cards not accepted.
Information: Call (501) 851-6990 or visit maumelle parksandrec.com/aquatic center
WILLOW SPRINGS WATER PARK, LITTLE ROCK
Though it qualifies as a swimming pool because the water is treated with chlorine, this water park seems more like a pond — one with concrete walls and sandy floor. With 3 1 /2 acres of water there’s plenty of play space and room for water slides, volleyball nets, a basketball goal, a tether-ball pole, water fountains, concrete “rafts” and a lumber-jack inspired log roll — all right out in the water.
An inflatable “dock” that apparently requires great effort to climb atop just begs for a game of King of the Hill. The park also provides air compressors to inflate floating toys brought from home.
Willow Springs’ main claim to fame is a concrete slide (the last in the state, according to management) that winds 400 feet down an adjacent hillside into a splash pool next to the bigger pool. Sliders walk up a paved path to the hilltop and slip down the hard slide on pads afloat on a steady stream of sand tainted water.
Willow Springs Water Park, more than any of the other pools we visited is — true to its name — parklike. Families packing in coolers (no glass containers or alcohol — they check!) and small barbecue grills find a shady spot in the grass or on one of the dozens of umbrella-shaded picnic tables, and stay for the day. There’s even a platoon of makeshift wagons at the front gate waiting to tote gear to one’s chosen picnic spot.
In some ways Willow Springs is ideal, there are tons of space and lots of equipment to entertain the kids. But, for some, it will be hard to overcome the ick factor of that murky though cool water (all those games of basketball and the like really stir up the sandy bottom). Still, patrons on a recent Sunday afternoon weren’t complaining as they romped and swam and picnicked the day away. For others the worn-look of the facilities may be off-putting, too. One gets the feeling this place must have been really something in the ’60s.
A chain-link fence sections off the shallower kiddie pool area, which has its own slide.
There is a cafe overlooking the lake that has a cozy reading/TV area with sofas and a piano. On a recent visit a Veggie Tales video was playing, giving patrons entering the cafe the feeling they were barging into a stranger’s living room. The cafe serves standard canteen fare: hot dogs, nachos and hamburgers — one bite and a youngster in a recent party decreed them “school lunchroom burgers.” (To be fair they were no worse than similar food at any of the other pools we visited.)
What sets Willow Springs Cafe apart is the homemade menu items, including a decent (though skimpy) tuna salad on white bread, peanutbutter-and-jelly sandwiches and homemade desserts like Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Triple Chocolate Brownies and Pina Colada Cake. The hot foods are only available Saturdays and Sundays.
Address: 3903 Willow Lake Road, Little Rock
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Cost: $10 (ages 4 to 15); $13 (ages 16-59), $7.50 (over 60), children 3 and under admitted free. Evening admission from 4-8 p.m. is $7. There is a $2 off coupon on the website.
Credit: Visa, MasterCard, Discover
Information: Call (501) 888-4148 or visit willowsprings. net.
PEABODY PARK SPRAY PAD RIVERFRONT PARK, LITTLE ROCK
Families with little kids and a tight budget should consider a quick trip to the circular Spray Pad by the river in downtown Little Rock. The municipal fountain was created with kids in mind. Children love the surprise splashes coming from the inground spray heads.
The day we visited, a gang of children were, at the behest of a commanding older child, performing an impromptu water ballet while parents clustered nearby in the few shady spots. There are a couple of benches and picnic tables, and the nearby playground for more diversions.
Address: Julius Breckling Riverfront Park near the Little Rock River Market and the Junction Bridge
There’s paid parking close by. Pay $5 when entering the parking lot at Rock Street and Ottenheimer Plaza and drive to the farthest parking area next to the fountain, or remain true to the spirit of free entertainment and find a space on a nearby street or in the free parking near the River Market just to the east.
Concessions: None, but many restaurants are a short walk away, or pack a picnic.
Information: Call (501) 371-4770 or visit littlerock.org/ ParksRecreation/parks/ riverfront.aspx to see photos of Riverfront Park including the adjacent Peabody Adventure Park.
CAMMACK VILLAGE POOL
The community pool in the tiny burg of Cammack Village — surrounded on all sides by Little Rock — projects a small-town vibe. There’s plenty of space to play, a slide and shady places to rest. A shaded kiddie pool and patio are separated in a chain-link enclosure. And regulars convene Thursday evenings bringing side dishes for a potluck dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on a grill.
Address: 2710 N. McKinley St.
Cost: 4 and under free, $5 age 5 and older. Credit cards are not accepted but checks are.
Hours: Closed Monday. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, noon-7 p.m. Sunday
Concessions: Pizza, nachos, chips, soft drinks, hot dogs and ice cream. No outside food in the pool area, but there are picnic tables just outside the gate.
Information: Call (501) 666-9722 or look for Cammack Village Pool on Facebook for messages about forthcoming events.
THORNHILL POOL, SHERWOOD
Sherwood has four outdoor pools. Thornhill, its flagship swimming spot, is nestled in the municipal complex off East Kiehl Avenue. This tidy, sun-drenched pool is nothing spectacular, but hey, it’s a pool and it’s hot out there. There’s a diving board and a tree-shaded area within the pool compound that makes a nice retreat for guardians who are not interested in swimming. The kiddie pool is separated from the main pool by a raised walkway that could help corral restless toddlers.
Sherwood’s other pools are Bill Harmon Recreation Center Pool, 51 Shelby Road; Fairway Pool, 800 Fairway Ave.; Indianhead Pool, 33 Deerfield Drive.
Address: Thornhill Pool, 2201 Thornhill Drive, Sherwood
Cost: $4 for everyone. Credit cards not accepted
Hours: Closed Monday. Noon-8 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Wednesday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday
Concessions: Water, sodas, chips. No outside food and drinks, but there is a picnic table outside the pool enclosure.
Information: (501) 835-4832
YMCA
The day-use fee at the Westside Family Branch YMCA in Little Rock gives access to the entire facility including outdoor and indoor pools and the weight room. The Olympic-size pool is mostly set up for lap swimming, with about a quarter reserved for open swim. There’s a small grassy area down one side and a little shade from tree limbs hanging over the pool fence.
Address: 4701 Sam Peck Road, Little Rock Cost: $7, 13-to 54-year-olds; $3, 6- to 12-year-olds; 5 and younger, free; 55 and older, $5 Concessions: Snack machines. Patrons can bring in their own food, and many have pizza delivered. Information: Call (501) 227-8343
The Y of Metropolitan Little Rock also has an outdoor pool at the Johnny & Sharon Heflin Family Branch, 6101 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock. Cost: $10 Concessions: Snack machines, outside food allowed in pool area Hours: 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Information: (501) 758-3170
NORTH HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER SHERMAN COMMUNITY CENTER, NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Sad to say, North Little Rock’s city pools were the worst we checked. Not necessarily because the facilities were deficient (although they were worn and minimal) but because they looked unsanitary.
The water at both pools was dirty and had visible signs of algae and black specks of some unknown origin.
Aside from that, there were slides and walk-in ramps. The better of the two pools is at the North Heights Community Center and could have been quite nice with its small tube slides and mushroom fountains, but we just couldn’t get past that dirty water.
North Heights Community Center:
Address: 4801 Allen St., North Little Rock Hours: Closed Sunday and Monday. Noon-5:45 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, noon-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday Cost: $2, $1 for members. Concessions: Hot dogs, nachos, chips and sodas in the nearby community center Information: (501) 791-8576
Sherman Park Community Center:
Address: 624 Beech St., North Little Rock Hours: Closed Monday. Noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday Cost: $2 nonmembers, $1 members Concessions: Vending machines are available in the community center. Information: (501) 340-5373
LR in swim ’til Aug. 14
Still want to swim in Little Rock? The city’s two outdoor pools will remain open until Aug. 14.
Jim Dailey Fitness & Aquatic Center has two big slides, a diving board and a shallow kiddie pool with in-water play structure and fountains.
Address: 300 S. Monroe St., Little Rock
Hours: Monday-Friday, noon-4:45 p.m. and 6:15-8 p.m.; Saturday, noon-5:45 p.m.; Sunday 1-4:45 p.m.
Cost: Adults, $5; youths ages 16-19, $3.50; ages 15 and under with parent, $2.50; ages 55 and up, $3.50.
Information: Call (501) 664-6976 or visit little rock.org/parksrecreation/warmemorial
Southwest Little Rock Community Center
Address: 6401 Base Line Road
Hours: Monday-Saturday noon-5 p.m.; Sunday 1-6 p.m.
Cost: Adults $4.50; youths ages 16-19, $3.50; children younger than 16, $2.50; ages 55 and up $3.50.
Information: (501) 918-3975 or visit littlerock. org/ParksRecreation/ rec_centers/SWLR/ swimming_pool.aspx
Family, Pages 33 on 07/28/2010