Prineville pool kicking off swimming season with ice cream social
Published 9:08 am Wednesday, June 4, 2025
The Prineville swimming pool is opening for the summer season fittingly on the last day of school – and they’re bringing free ice cream!
The swimming pool will open for the open swim season on Thursday, June 12. The opening and ice cream social will take place from 1-4 p.m. and admission costs $5. The pool staff will not be accepting any passes or punch cards in place of admission that day.
For many years, the Crook County Parks and Recreation District has scheduled the first day of open swim to fall on the last day of public school in the community. More recently, they have added an ice cream social to the occasion to draw visitors and add more festivities to the occasion.
“About halfway through it, we will start giving out the ice cream,” said Recreation Coordinator Andrea Weaver, who added that it differs from other pool events later in the season that feature more attractions than ice cream. “We are keeping it simple.”
The ice cream social not only signals the start of the open swim season, where families can swim 1:15-3:15 p.m. daily but opens the season for other special events, such as movies shown at the pool.
The ice cream social has been a part of the opening day for several years. (Jason Chaney/Central Oregonian)
“I am working with the pool manager to finalize dates, but we will be doing movies as well as other fun Fridays,” Weaver said. “There will be more information on that to come.”
Admission for open swim this summer is $5 for people who live within the Parks and Recreation District and $8.75 for those who live outside the district. Family passes can also be purchased that pay for pool admission through the entire open swim season.
“New this year, we are offering a senior discount,” Weaver added. “Anybody over the age of 60 can purchase an individual pool pass for $75 – that is a $50 discount.”
And for those families who cannot afford to pay for pool admission, the parks district offers financial help.
“If assistance is needed, we have the scholarship program, Happy Healthy Hearts, through our district foundation,” Weaver said, adding that people can sign up for the program at the district office (296 S. Main St.).
The parks district staff encourages kids and families to kick off the pool season and enjoy a cold, refreshing treat to kick off the pool season.
“Come and join us for the 2025 pool season and help us make this a fun summer,” Weaver concluded.
