Sign of summer: Juniper Swim Center pool cover coming off

Warmer weather must be around the corner because the pool cover at Juniper Swim & Fitness Center is coming off!

Bend Park and Recreation District is making the seasonal change to the 50-meter pool beginning Monday. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the week.

The cover is more than 50,000 square feet of tent material and requires six to eight park district employees to complete the task. The cover is annually installed in October and removed in May to allow swimmers to enjoy the summer season fully.

“It really is a spectacular undertaking and an ‘all-hands’ week for us. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it every summer to see all the smiles in the pool and knowing the impact that Bend Park and Rec has here in the community,” said Shawn Clark, facilities specialist, who has been installing and removing the tent panels since 2000. “It is not really summer here until the pool cover comes off.”

Lap swimming schedules may be modified during pool cover removal activities.

The outdoor activity pool will open, weather permitting, on weekends only starting Saturday, May 26.

Visit http://www.bendparksandrec.org/juniper_swim__fitness/ for details and schedules.