The City of Wheeling is getting its pools ready to open Saturday. When those doors fly open and families flock to the water, they'll join many pools around the Ohio Valley that already have welcomed swimmers for the summer.
Four city-operated facilities will open Saturday and stay open from noon-6 p.m. daily, weather permitting -- Garden Park in Warwood, Bridge Park on Wheeling Island, Grandview in Wheeling Heights and 36th Street in South Wheeling. They also are available to rent for evening pool parties.
Those who want to reserve a facility can by calling the city Parks & Recreation office at 304-234-3641 or booking online at wheelingrec.com.
Those pools will join two others in the Wheeling area that already have opened. The pool at Wheeling Park and the Oglebay Pool at the Crispin Center are open now from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, weather permitting.
The Oglebay Pool also features inflatables, a climbing rock wall, and Fountains of Fun Splash & Spray area for children.
It has late-night hours until 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays from June 15 to Aug. 12. Starting Aug. 22, the pool is open weekends only and closes for the season Sept. 5.
The Wheeling Park pool features a baby pool, two low diving boards and a waterslide. Starting Aug. 15, the pool is open weekends only and closes for the season Sept. 5.
In Marshall County, the Four Seasons pool in Moundsville and McMechen and Glen Dale pools all are open for businesses.
The Four Seasons pool, which is open year-round, has open Monday-Friday from noon-6 p.m. and Saturday from noon-5 p.m.
The McMechen pool is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily during the season, while the Glen Dale pool is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday.
Glen Dale City Clerk Jane Criswell said that, while the pool has maintained its COVID-19 cleaning protocols, it was nice to open the pool this summer without the COVID-induced capacity restrictions of the past couple of years.
She also said that the pool's lifeguard staff is at full capacity.
"It was a struggle, to be honest, at first," she said. "But we have our staff completely full now. We were one of the lucky ones to get enough staff to be able to operate."
One incentive that Glen Dale has for lifeguards is, if they stay the whole year, the city will reimburse half of their costs for their lifesaving course. If they come back the next year, the city will reimburse the remainder.
In Ohio, Barnesville's village pool opened Saturday, as did Allen Poon in St. Clairsville.
In Powhatan Point, the swimming pool and splash pad opening date has been pushed to June 6 due to painting maintenance. Martins Ferry's pool was scheduled to open on Memorial Day.
Carri Graham contributed to this report.