The best way to beat these scorching temperatures is to hit the pool! According to FOX 28, kids used a variety of admission-free city pools and community centers to cool off Saturday, thanks to the mayor’s office waiving fees to use the pool facilities during a weekend heat wave.
At Dodge Recreation Center in Franklinton, lines were out beyond the entrance way for hours as the pool quickly reached capacity during the hottest part of the afternoon. Hundreds of kids and parents inside said the free pools were their only option to be safely outdoors.
“I like this pool because when you jump off the diving board, the water is really cold,” said Brandon Jakeway of North Columbus, who asked his dad Brian to drive him down to Dodge Pool for the day.
Others said they liked using the water slides and the water park available at Dodge Pool.
Lifeguard shortages have plagued some area pools this summer, including at the YMCA Columbus, but no shortages were reported on Saturday as thousands enjoyed the cool water attractions across the city and region.