The City of Fort Worth recently announced that three of the city’s pools and a splash pad are now officially open to residents seeking relief from the summer heat.
“Three Fort Worth swimming pools and a splash pad are now open for their summer seasons,” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price wrote in a June 4 Twitter post. “The pools will operate on Saturdays and Sundays for most of June, then open for the full summer season June 26-Aug. 15.”
Forest Park Pool and the Marine Park Aquatic Center will be open from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. and will charge swimmers an entrance fee. The Sycamore Spray Ground will not charge an entrance fee, but due to unforeseen maintenance issues, the spray ground has not opened and will announce an opening date soon. Fort Wort residents will also have access to the Neighborhood Family Aquatic Center at McDonald Southeast YMCA with pricing to be announced soon.
Residents are advised to observe safe swimming practices and the American Red Cross has offered safety tips for families looking to spend time in the water.
WorldLifeExpectancy.com data reveals that Texas recorded 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people due to drowning in 2019, according to patch.com.
“More school-age children are going to die from drowning each year than fires, tornadoes, active shooters, earthquakes, lightning combined,” Dave Benjamin, executive director of Michigan’s Great Lakes Surf & Rescue Project, said, according to patch.com.
Drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Texas ranks 18th out of the 40 states that the drowning statistics track.
Fort Worth residents can find their nearest local American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim classes here.