It may feel like Sloatsburg is one big pool with all the rain falling from the sky. And don’t let this temperature dip fool you — soon the sun will shine and everyone will want to cool off at the pool. The village has you covered there as the Sloatsburg Municipal Pool opens for the season this coming Memorial Day weekend.
Pool gates officially open Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, from 12 noon until 8 p.m. The pool will then be open weekends until the regular season begins. In mid June, the pool opens daily.
So, after you purchase your pool membership and march in the Sloatsburg Memorial Day Parade on Monday at 10 a.m., mosey on over to the pool and find your perfect spot to hang out for the summer.
Always looking to add a quality-of-life value to the whole pool experience, Village Trustee Pete Akey has made some additional improvements to the pool this season, including a new snack vending company and adding hot water to the restroom sinks.
“We never had hot water before,” Akey said, suggesting he has his eye on eventually hooking up a bit of hot water for outdoor showers as well. Akey said the hot water that runs to the sinks is temperature controlled for public safety purposes.
“Th new vending company offers the same style of things — ice cream, snacks, soda, water,” he said. “We’re flexible to changing to whatever the public wants. If people want juices or granola, I’m sure we can fit it in.”
The village also planted two new Japanese Ornamental Cherry trees to replace the old trees of the same variety, which were weathered and dying from old age.
The big pool upgrade is free Wi-Fi, installed by the Village both at the Municipal Building and the pool this past winter. Akey said the signal provides just enough juice to cover Wi-Fi hotspots at each location, with the pool’s signal tapering off around the fence perimeter.
The hotspots work via the village’s Optimum Online account and require a login and password, which is usually captured by a person’s phone or computer for future use. People with their own Optimum accounts can use their personal account information to access the hotspots. Others can login using the username Sloatsburgguest with the password 1234.
Pool members will also see two new life guards on duty.
“We wanted to hire local people because it’s quicker and easier to get there and it helps out the local community,” Akey said about the two new high school age guards. “College kids usually have to leave toward the end of August and we’re always scrambling around for coverage,” he said about the advantage of high school guards that can stay through the entire season — and even return the following year.
New Municipal Pool late hours during regular summer season will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 9 p.m..
“We did a survey last year and more people wanted to stay late on the weekends than they wanted to stay on during the week,” Akey said. The late hours coincide with sunset and safety issues.
Residents can register for pool membership online at Sloatsburgny.com. Click on the Recreation Department and then follow the link to Pool Passes where an online registration application is available.
The Sloatsburg Municipal Pool fees for 2013 are $300 for a family membership, $125 for individuals and $25 for senior citizens. Daily guests fees run $4 for adults ($5 for weekends) and $3 for children ($4 for weekends).
Pool Memberships are required by all residents entering the pool area and can be purchased at the Village Clerk’s Office. Adjacent to the municipal pool complex is a children’s playground designed for both toddlers and adolescents.
