Deep Eddy closing Jan. 4 for repairs

Deep Eddy closing Jan. 4 for repairs

deep eddy

Deep Eddy Pool will close Jan. 4 for repairs. Photo courtesy city of Austin

Heads up, swimmers.

Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy Ave., will close starting Jan. 4 for mechanical repairs on a well pump. Normal operating hours are expected to resume Saturday, Jan. 8.

That doesn’t mean you have to ditch your swim workout. Barton Springs (which makes a great spot for a Jan. 1 dip, by the way), Bartholomew, Stacy, and Springwoods pools will remain open during the Deep Eddy closure.

 

Barton Springs Pool, 2201 Barton Springs Road. Open 5 am-10 p.m. daily except Thursday, when it closes from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for cleaning.

Bartholomew Pool, 1800 East 51st Street. Open 12:15 p.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Big Stacy Pool, 700 E. Live Oak Street. Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Springwoods Pool, 13320 Lyndhurst Street. Open 3-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, call the Deep Eddy Pool hotline at 512-974-1189 or go to AustinTexas.gov/Pools

 

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Austin looking for summer lifeguards

Austin looking for summer lifeguards

The city of Austin Parks Department is looking for summer lifeguards to work at pools including Barton Springs. Pam LeBlanc photo

Back in the 1980s, when I was a teen-ager, all the cool kids worked at the pool in the summer.

I don’t think lifeguarding is considered quite so glamorous now, but I’d say spending hot sunny days perched on a stand making sure pool patrons are safe beats flipping burgers or sacking groceries.

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department put out the alert this week that it needs lifeguards at its 45 aquatic facilities this summer.

Pay starts at $15 per hour. Applicants must be 15 or older, and must complete training and certification to get the job. New and returning lifeguards must complete the application and hiring paperwork before they can register for training.

Among the city’s facilities are seven regional pools, three community pools, 22 neighborhood pools, and Barton Springs, where locals and visitors alike cannonball into cold, fresh spring water in the center of the city.

Learn more about lifeguarding in Austin at LifeguardAustin.com. Check out the official job posting here and more about lifeguard training safety here.

 

 

 

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Barton Springs and Deep Eddy have reopened – but more closures are coming

Barton Springs and Deep Eddy have reopened – but more closures are coming

Barton Springs Pool is reopening today after last week’s freeze. It will close again March 1-12 for annual maintenance. Pam LeBlanc photo

Go ahead and pull your swimsuit out of deep freeze, Austin.

Barton Springs Pool and Deep Eddy Pool reopened today after last week’s winter storm – and admission is free until further notice.

Big Stacy, Bartholomew and Springwood pools remain closed. They sustained damage during the cold snap and will reopen after structural and plumbing repairs are complete.

Barton Springs Pool is a spring-fed pool with a natural bottom in downtown Austin. Pam LeBlanc photo

Ready to take the plunge?

Barton Springs Pool is today through Sunday (swim at your own risk from 5-8 a.m. and 6-10 p.m.; guards on duty 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.), then closes for regularly scheduled maintenance from March 1-12. During the closure, crews will remove gravel from the bottom of the pool. Access to “dog beach” below the pool will be limited; it will be used as a staging area for gravel-removing equipment.

Deep Eddy will offer expanded hours for lap swimming while Barton Springs is closed. Hours are 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. today and March 1-12, with a few exceptions. The pool will be closed Friday, Feb. 26; Tuesday, March 2; and Tuesday, March 9.

For more information, call the Barton Springs Pool Hotline at 512-867-3080 or the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Aquatic Administration and Training Center at 512-974-9330.

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For warm, cozy fun, swim in an outdoor heated pool in winter

For warm, cozy fun, swim in an outdoor heated pool in winter

Jennifer Reinhardt stands atop the starting blocks of an Austin swimming pool during a 2013 cold snap. Pam LeBlanc photo

It’s what I call swimming-in-a-warm-cauldron weather, and yes, people, this makes me extremely happy.

People always seem shocked when I tell them I still swim when temperatures outside drop into the 30s. Even when I explain that the water in Western Hills Athletic Club, which is outdoors, is heated to a balmy 80 or 82 degrees, they look at me like I’m nuts. And while I may be nuts, the swimming outdoors part in January has nothing to do with it.

Take this morning. When I arrived at the pool, the thermometer in the truck read 32 degrees. A thick steam rose off the surface of the pool, which is perched atop a hill on Rollingwood Drive in West Austin.

I shivered as I peeled off my plush-lined, over-sized deck jacket and stepped out of my sandals onto cold concrete. But jumping into a heated pool in the middle of winter in Texas feels like diving under the covers of a bed pre-warmed by a three snoozing Labradors – it’s cozy as heck. After the first five minutes, it’s no different than any other swim practice, except that the clouds of steam blowing over the water make it hard to see.

The person who does suffer during these cold-weather practices? The coach standing on deck. Today, that was coach Cheryl Ridout. (Thanks Cheryl!)

The forecast looks chilly for the next five days, and I’m looking forward to more swimming, as long as the roads stay ice free. We’re a hardy group here at the pool. I snapped the above picture of Jennifer Reinhardt’s feet during swim practice in 2013.

While I love swimming in a heated pool, I do draw the line someplace. Another friend invited me for a pre-dawn, naked mile swim at Barton Springs Pool. I’m all for the naked swim, which I’ve done before (it’s fantastic, and nobody can see in the dark), but not when temps are below freezing. That’ll have to wait a week or two.

On a related note, the Austin Parks & Recreation Department sent out a press release earlier today, noting that all year-round swimming pools, tennis centers and golf courses are closed. Schedules for tomorrow are pending weather conditions, and it doesn’t look much better. Check austintexas.gov/parks to check status.

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Austin looking for summer lifeguards

Barton Springs and Deep Eddy close today until further notice

Barton Springs and Deep Eddy pools are closed until further notice due to the spike in COVID-19 cases. Pam LeBlanc photo


If you were planning on a dip in Barton Springs Pool this July 4 weekend, you’ll have to make alternate plans.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise, the City of Austin has closed Barton Springs Pool and Deep Eddy Pool, effective today. The pools will remain closed until further notice.
All parks and recreational facilities, including city parks, golf courses, boat ramps, museums, gardens, preserves and tennis courts, will close Friday through Sunday, July 5. Pre-paid park admission passes will be refunded.
For a full listing of park closures, visit austintexas.gov/parkclosures.

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