The Dublin community is invited to a day of free fun and food at the Dublin City Pool’s grand opening on Saturday, May 29.
All admittance will be free at the pool from noon to 5 p.m. that day and free hot dogs will be served up by members of the Dublin Rotary Club.
The opening will be marked with a ribbon cutting at noon from Dublin’s Judith Robbins Lemons, who cut the ribbon at the pool’s original opening on July 4, 1954.
The Dublin native was instrumental in the creation of the pool after telling her first grade teacher, Grace Nichols, that Dublin should have a pool so the children of the community could have a place to enjoy in the summer.
Mrs. Nichols and her student approached Dublin Elementary principal Fannie Bolinger about the idea, and the principal gave the first grader permission to seek the pool’s foundation.
Young Judy gathered up jars and labeled the “Who wants a swimming pool?” The pennies and nickels dropped in these jars would be the first steps attaining the $7,000 needed to construct the facility. A bond passed by the city council in the fall of 1953 would provide $5,000 of the funds and the $27.38 raised by Dublin elementary youngsters were added into that fund as the remaining costs were sought from the local community.
Following the opening the city pool will be open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Children 2 and under and non-swimmers enter for free. The entry fee is $1 for all swimmers over the age of 2.
Pool Parties are available Tuesday through Sunday in two-hour (5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., 8 p.m.-10 p.m.) and four-hour blocks (6 p.m.-10 p.m.). The cost is $120 for two-hours and $240 for four hours for up to 50 swimmers covered by two lifeguards. Extra lifeguards for bigger parties are an extra $30.
The pool will be closed for both public swimming and parties on Mondays.
For more information or to book a party, call Dublin City Hall at 445- 3331 or visit 213 E. Blackjack.