With the end of school and the start of summer, the Dawson County Parks department is getting ready to open the pool located at Veteran’s Park on Hwy. 9 just north of Dawsonville.

The pool was constructed in the early 1970s and has provided an inexpensive way for families to enjoy themselves without leaving the county for many years. I can personally remember taking swimming lessons at the pool as a young boy and then enjoying the pool many afternoons each summer as a youth.

The pool officially opens at noon Saturday. This year the county will celebrate the pool’s opening by having food vendors, souvenir vendors and water inflatables on site for the first day. Daily admission to the pool is only $3; however it will be $5 for opening day. You can also purchase an individual season pass for $30, or a family season pass for up to five people in the same household for only $100.

The Dawson County pool holds 168,000 gallons of water and is 10 feet deep in the diving board area. There is also a small, shallow wading pool for younger visitors to enjoy. The pool is open Monday through Sunday to the public from noon until 5 p.m. 

The local swim team uses the pool Monday-Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. and swimming lessons are offered from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

The pool is also open on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to the general public interested in bringing the family out for an evening swim. 

Water Aerobics are offered at the pool Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  The pool is also available for pool parties on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The pool is already fully booked for parties for the 2010 season, but you can contact the park to be placed on our waiting list.

The pool is used by many of our citizens throughout the summer for all of the activities mentioned. We saw the heaviest usage in 2008 with 9,054 people visiting the pool with $32,010.90 in revenue being generated. In 2009 these numbers were down to 6,491 visitors and $24,979.15 in revenue. In addition 55 people took advantage of water aerobics, 118 took swimming lessons and 38 groups held pool parties last year. 

Judging from the number of phone calls our staff is taking with questions on the pool and based on the fact that all of our slots are already filled for pool parties, we are looking forward to a record-breaking year in 2010.

If you are interested in taking advantage of any of the activities at the pool this summer, you can contact Buffie Henson or Kris Rowan at (706) 344-3646.

I encourage you and your family to take advantage of all the fine facilities that your Dawson County Government has to offer. You can enjoy days of family fun without ever leaving the county.

We are here to serve you; so please call on us, if we can be of service.

County Manager Kevin Tanner can be reached at (706) 344-3501 or e-mail ktanner@dawsoncounty.org.