West side pools and water parks offer plenty of cool options

Editor’s note: On May 20, the city of Las Vegas said it had completed additional testing on its six pools and found no evidence of staph or MRSA bacteria. According to the city, it tests the water in its pools a minimum of twice a day and normally many more times than that to ensure the safety of its patrons.

Want to beat the heat? Take a dip in the pool.

Cheryl Bella, marketing and communications director for the YMCA, said pools make for fun summers in Las Vegas.

“The great thing is that we have two facilities with indoor pools and three with outdoor pools with water parks,” she said. “And that means they’ve got slides and shallow play areas for children who don’t know how to swim yet. The slides are our biggest attraction.”

Bella said it was important that everyone get out of the pool once an hour for a mandatory re-hydration intake.

“And we do swim tests,” she said, “because no child is allowed down the slide or in the water park areas without being swim tested.”

The Desert Breeze Community Center reported that last year it saw approximately 82,500 people attend family swim during the summer, and the facility taught more than 2,800 swim lesson participants.

“We usually start getting inquiries about the outdoor pool around spring break. … we definitely have a lot of people who are anxious for the outdoor pools to open,” said Jessica Ralles Laguna, recreation program supervisor for the Desert Breeze aquatics program.

There are plenty of pools on the west side of Las Vegas that are open to the public.

CITY POOLS

City of Las Vegas outdoor pools offer a chance to enjoy the sun while staying cool and having fun.

Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-229-1488, is open year round. Summer hours go into effect June 8 and are 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday-Friday for long course lanes; noon to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday for all ages; 4 to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday for adults only; 7 to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday for all ages; and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for all ages.

Garside Pool is at 250 S. Torrey Pines Drive, 702-229-6393. Pool hours starting Memorial Day weekend are noon to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

All children 7 or younger, or under 48 inches tall, must always be accompanied in the pool by an adult 18 or older.

Daily pool fees are $1 for ages 4 to 17, $2 for ages 18 to 49, $1.50 for ages 50 or older and free for ages 3 or younger. An all-summer pool pass is $40 for an individual, $30 for adults 50 or older and $60 for a family.

Pool membership passes start at $20 for an individual, $30 for a family up to eight individuals and $15 for seniors. One- and three-month passes are available. Passes may not be used for special events.

For information about all aquatic programs, view the current Beyond the Neon guide at lasvegasparksandrec.com or call the Municipal Pool at 702-229-6309.

YMCA OF SOUTHERN NEVADA

Starting soon, the outdoor pools operated by the YMCA of Southern Nevada will become splash zones of fun and fitness. All of its outdoor pools and water parks are scheduled to open May 23 for Memorial Day weekend.

Locations are: Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane, 702-877-9622; city of Las Vegas Durango Hills Community Center, operated by the YMCA, 3521 N. Durango Drive, 702-240-9622; city of Las Vegas Centennial Hills Community Center, operated by the YMCA, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive, 702-478-9622; and city of North Las Vegas SkyView Multi-Generational Center, operated by the YMCA, 3050 E. Centennial Parkway, 702-522-7500.

The pools follow the same schedule. They’re open weekends the two weeks before school is out and then every day as of June 6. They’ll be open weekends only again once school is back in session and open for Labor Day.

The full schedule is: noon to 5 p.m. May 23-25; closed May 26-29; noon to 5 p.m. May 30-31; closed June 1-5; noon to 5 p.m. every day June 6-Aug. 23; closed Aug. 24-28; noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 29-30; noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 31-Sept. 4; and noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 5-7 (Labor Day).

Pools and water parks are free for Y Members. The public is welcome. There is a $5 per person daily fee without a Y membership.

For more information, visit lasvegasymca.org.

DESERT BREEZE AQUATIC FACILITY

The Desert Breeze Aquatic Facility, 8275 Spring Mountain Road, is set to be open for lap- and family-time swimming, but as of press time, the facility was closed.

Lap swim hours are set for 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 5:30 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday.

Lap lanes are not available outside of posted times. Limited lanes are available from 2 to 8 p.m.

Family swim hours are: noon to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday.

Daily admission fees are: children (3-17), $2; adults (18-54), $3; seniors (55 or older), $1; children 2 or younger, free. Season passes can be purchased at any Clark County Community Center or Aquatic Center.

There are also 90-day indoor and outdoor family passes for up to four family members residing in the same household for $100. Add $20 for each additional family member (must reside in same household).

A 90-day individual pass for youths (3-17) is $40; adults (18 to 54) is $60; and seniors (55 or older) is $20.

Annual indoor pool passes run $300 for a family pass (four family members) with each additional family member being $40. Family members must reside in same household.

An annual indoor pool individual pass for a youth is $120; for an adult, it is $180, and for a senior, it is $60.

For more information, call 702-455-7798.

SUMMERLIN COUNCIL-OPERATED POOLS

The Trails Park and Pool, 9550 Trails Center Drive, and Willows Pool, 2775 Desert Marigold Lane, are both scheduled to be open May 24-Aug. 31.

Trails pool summer hours through Aug. 13 are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. From Aug. 14-Sept. 7, the hours change to 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For Sept. 12-27, the pool is open from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Willows Pool hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Sept. 7. Fall hours are noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 12-27, Saturday and Sunday.

Season passes may be purchased from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Trails, Willows and Gardens community centers. Each Summerlin Council swim pass entitles the cardholder access to both the Trails and Willows community pools. Summerlin membership ID cards are required to purchase season passes. The cost is $30 per person per season. Only checks are accepted made payable to The Summerlin Council.

Daily fees are $3 for resident adults or $2 for a resident child (2-17).

For non-resident adults, it is $5, and a non-resident child (2-17) is $3.

Guests are limited to one per member per visit and must be accompanied by a Summerlin resident.

For more information, visit summerlink.com or call 702-341-5500.

JW MARRIOTT POOL

The pool area at the JW Marriott, 221 N. Rampart Blvd., opened March 6. Pool hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Its 11,000-square-foot pool area includes waterfalls, palm trees and lounge chairs. Hours of operation are: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through May 21; 9 a.m to 8 p.m. May 22-July 31; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 1-Sept. 20; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 21-Oct. 31.

Non-members and non-hotel guests can enjoy the pool Monday-Friday, excluding holidays and blackout dates, with a cover charge. Day pass admission for non-hotel guests is $8 for children 6-15 and $15 for those 16 or older. Children younger than 15 must be accompanied by an adult with a maximum of three children per adult. Memberships and one-day admission can be purchased at the pool towel hut.

Individual memberships for the pool area are $150 per month or $495 for the season. A family pass is $250 per month or $795 for the season; offers are available for two adults with up to three children or one adult with up to four children.

For more information, visit marriott.com/lasjw or call 702-869-7777.

WET’N’WILD

Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas, 7055 S. Fort Apache Road, is open through Sept. 27. Dive‘n’Movies are planned under the stars, so one can float on a tube in the wave pool every Friday night from June 5-Aug. 21. The park opens at 10:30 a.m. and is open until 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Aug. 22.

General admission for guests 42 inches or taller is $34.99 online only or $39.99 at the front gate. Junior admission for those shorter than 42 inches is $29.99; senior admission, 65 or older, is $9.99. Children 3 or younger are admitted free.

Season passes start at $74.99. For more information, visit wetnwildlasvegas.com or call 702-979-1600.

To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.