After hours swimming can be dangerous

Published 7:50 am Sunday, June 26, 2016

We are looking for your help.

Our Municipal Swimming Pool has been experiencing the “thrill” of the evening “after hours” swim.

While it can be exciting to jump the fence, disrobe and enter the water without being detected there always seems to be things that let us know your were there.

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What the fence jumpers do not know is we have added chemical to the pools to help with our water balance, which needs to be done when people are not in the water for several hours as it could be dangerous to one’s health.

We also run the electric vacuum each evening, which could be a shocking hazard.

It would be obvious if one should see the electric cord running across the deck to the water, they may think twice before entering that particular body of water. It would be a tragic prank gone wrong if someone would become injured or worse, all because of the thrill to jump the fence of the pool and take a swim unnoticed.

Please call the Law Enforcement Center at 507-437-9400 if you should be driving by the pool and see people swimming without the lights on.

The Austin Municipal Pool is in full swing. Open swim hours are from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; 1 to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 2 to 7 p.m. Sundays.

The adult lap swim will be held noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Our season membership is $30 per person, ages 2 and under are free. The daily admission is $3 in the afternoon and $2 for the three evening swims.

 Nature center

On a lighter note we are especially excited that the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center’s new coffee table book “The Essence of Place: The Story of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center” is complete. There will be a program and book signing on Thursday with photographer John Duren and writer Douglas Wood. This 200-page hardcover book is a must-have, packed full of wonderful photos and well written history of how the nature center evolved to what it is today. Program times are 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

After each program you can have your new book autographed by John and Doug. This is a free program, however, we like to know numbers so please RSVP by Wednesday. Call 507-437-7519 or email info@hormelnaturecenter.org.

The nature center’s summer special events in the Ruby Rupner Auditorium schedules include:

•Thursday: Photographer John Duren and writer Douglas Wood, 9:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

•Monday, July 11: CRWD Project Manager Cody Fox, 7 p.m.

•Wednesday July 13 and Thursday July 14: Minnesota singer-songwriter Peter Mayer, 7 p.m. July 13; 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. July 14.

• Thursday, July 21: Ben Sherman, bat program – Part 1, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Part 2, 8:30 p.m. See the bats in action.

•Thursday, July 28: Roger Hellesvig as Ole Oleson, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

•Saturday, Aug. 6: Pat and Donna Surface with the Boundary Water Boys andMarina Whight, 10 a.m., 1 and 7 p.m. During this event freewill donation will be accepted for Alzheimer’s research.

•Thursday, Aug. 25: Singer-Songwriter Tom Pease, 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

 Pickleball

Interested in pickleball? Mixed doubles and/or men or women doubles league play is being formed to play on Tuesday evenings beginning July 12 and going through Aug. 16. Teams may register at the Park and Recreation office.

The deadline is Friday, July 8. Team entry fee is $20 plus your $8 per person player fee. Rosters can have up to six players. Games will begin at 6 p.m. at the Neveln tennis courts on the pickleball side.

 Hockey

Our last Stick Time dates at Riverside Arena will be held for those hockey enthusiasts from 5:15 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please note that if there are no skaters we will close after the first half hour.

Austin Youth Hockey will hold their 12th annual Golf Classic, Saturday, July 23 at Meadow Greens Golf Course. Contact Chad Thomas at 507-219-1573 to sign up your team.

 Leagues and camps

Hey kids age 5 to 12 check out the free community soccer league from 5 to 6 p.m. at Kaufman Park (8th Street and 11 Avenue SE) on Tuesday and Thursday’s now through July 14. Contact Jenny or Bobby at 507-402-7649 for questions. There is no practice in the event of rain.

There is another opportunity for a tennis camp offered July 5 through July 16 for students in grades 5 to 12. The cost is $30 for those fifth through eighth grades and $40 for ninth through 12th grade.

Contact Troy Diekman at 507-434-4987, tdiekman@charter.net or Levon Larson at 507-437-4321, levon.larson@gmail.com.