SIDNEY - Sidney residents received another sign of summer vacation this week.

The Sidney Aquatic Center is scheduled to open on Saturday at noon. The city-run pool, which features a competition pool, leisure pool, lazy river, water slide, concessions, and a bath house, will remain open through Aug. 6.

According to Park Superintendent Tom Von Seggern, it takes three weeks to fill the 5,500 square feet of pools with 173,000 total gallons of water, balance the chemicals and heat water in preparation for the aquatic center's 8th summer of operation.

"Everything is operational," Von Seggern said. "We got the slide and lazy river going, along with the buckets and toys for the leisure pool. In the lap pool, we got all the lane ropes fixed. We're set to go."

Von Seggern says it takes six hours to fill the lap pool with a fire hydrant.

The Sidney Aquatic Center is open Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Adult swimming is available weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Admission is $3.50 for kids (Age 5 and under) and seniors (61+), $5 for youth (6-18), and $6 for adults (18-61). Season passes are available, starting at $55. 

Swimming lessons and swim team begin in early June.

The Chappell swimming pool is scheduled to open Monday, May 29, residents in Bridgeport will be able to enjoy their pool starting on Tuesday, May 30, and Friday, June 2 is the target date for the Oshkosh pool to open. 

The Julesburg, Colo. city pool is under renovations and is scheduled to reopen in 2024, according to the city's website.