© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

City offers team sports and swimming this summer, along with aqua combat or metal detecting

 Children playing in splash area at Elmendorf Lake City
Brian Kirkpatrick
/
TPR
Children playing in splash area at Elmendorf Lake City Park on the West Side on June 1, 2023.

Adults and children with a little extra time on their hands this summer may want to consider activities by the city's parks and recreation department.

The parks and recreation department offers the usual opportunities to join organized sports teams and more solo opportunities like golf and disc golf. There is also cricket.

Art, music, and dance courses are also available. You can even learn how to do some metal detecting.

Parks and recreation manager Shanna Allen said there are two new pool-related classes this year.

"We have an aqua board HIT class." she said. "It's a high intensity class. What looks like a paddle board in the pool. That's a really fun opportunity. Then we just started our aqua combat class, which is really fun, a little bit low impact, kickboxing-style."

Swimming in general is one of the biggest attractions offered by the parks and recreation department this summer. About 11 city pools are now open for swimming, and a dozen more will open on June 17.

There are 25 pools in the city. One indoor and 24 outdoor, Allen explained.

"We have over 300,000 patrons that will attend our pools over the summer, and as we continue to grow our programs and special events, that number just continues to increase — especially as our population increases."

Allen said city pools are free to enter for both city residents and visitors to the city. Pool hours right now are on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 7 p.m. The days and hours expand when the regular season opens on June 17. Swimmers 10 and younger need an adult present.

The city has hired at least 300 lifeguards for the summer to help make all the activities safer. Some big U.S. cities have had trouble hiring lifeguards, but not San Antonio. Starting pay of $17 to $20 an hour and other perks are offered. Hiring continues throughout the summer.

Learn more about summer classes and programs or jobs offered at sanantonio.gov/parksandrec.

Texas Public Radio is supported by contributors to the Arts & Culture News Desk including The Guillermo Nicolas & Jim Foster Art Fund, Patricia Pratchett, and the V.H. McNutt Memorial Foundation.