Best Cheap Chill The Municipal Pools STAFF PICK: Not much costs a quarter anymore, especially
something that lasts all afternoon. But in Tucson, a kid can hit
the municipal pools for two dimes and a Buffalo head. Each
pool is different. We spent a couple of weeks checking out as
many as possible last summer, from the tattooed lifeguards napping
on cots at the worn Northwest pool on Silverbell Road, to the
posh urban rec-center scene at Udall pool on Tanque Verde Road.
Everyone has their favorite dips, understandably, because some
pools have awesome water slides, while others have 3-meter high
dives. Himmel pool even has a wading pool for the small tikes,
with a gradual slope into the water instead of the usual steps
that confound stubby legs. While the cost can't be beat (only
50-cents for grown-ups), we have just one problem with the municipal
pools: Most are only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It sure
seems there are after-school and weekend hours when the pools
would get high use during the other months of the year.
