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Bakersfield Recreation opens pools, offers $5 lessons and schedules July events
Summary
Bakersfield Recreation and Parks says four pools opened June 4, with McMurtrey admitting $4 and neighborhood pools $1; session-four swim lessons open for online registration June 19 at 9 a.m.; partners subsidize about 900 $5 lessons and July events include Family Fun Nights and a July 1 discount day.
Bakersfield Recreation and Parks opened four pool sites for recreational swim on June 4, department staff told listeners on The Something Better Podcast. McMurtrey Aquatic Center downtown is charging $4 per person (children 2 and under free), while neighborhood outdoor pools — Jefferson, MLK and Silver Creek — are $1 to enter; a family group-of-four rate is $13.
The department said McMurtrey reached capacity within the first 90 minutes of opening, and staff urged residents to register online for lessons because popular sessions at Silver Creek and McMurtrey fill within minutes. Registration for session four opens Friday, June 19 at 9 a.m. through the city website’s Recreation and Parks page; the site uses an online registration system called WebTrak.
The aquatics program offers lessons from "water babies" starting at six months through adult classes, and the department runs about 900 discounted lessons each summer through grant partnerships with Kaiser Permanente, the American Red Cross and First Five Kern. Each partner program has different eligibility rules; First Five Kern discounts target children five and younger. The department said the reduced-price lessons are intended to broaden access for families in Bakersfield’s lower-income neighborhoods.
Recreation staff also announced a bathing-suit donation drive in partnership with Today Cleaners: donated suits will be cleaned and redistributed to community members who need them. Staff reminded visitors that outside pools allow food and drink but McMurtrey does not, cotton suits are not permitted, and patrons should bring towels.
Family-focused events are planned for July: the department will hold Family Fun Nights at McMurtrey on July 10 (an "Island in the Sun" theme tied to a Moana release) and July 31 (a Western theme). Family Fun Nights start at 6 p.m.; attendees often line up by midafternoon. The special-event entry fee is $5 per person and, depending on staffing levels, additional amenities such as diving boards may be opened.
In recognition of Recreation and Parks month, Recreation staff said July 1 will be a discount day: McMurtrey admission will be reduced by $1 to $3, and admission at Silver Creek, Jefferson and MLK pools will be free for the day.
Department staff emphasized water-safety education given Kern County’s high drowning rates, urging lifejackets, not swimming alone, pool barriers and enrollment in lessons. The department noted it also offers year-round CPR courses and facility rentals.
"My name is Joe Conroy; I'm the public information officer and the host for The Something Better Podcast," the host said in closing, and he encouraged listeners to check the Recreation and Parks page for session availability and registration details.
