Local Pool Reopens Amid Heat Wave, Splash Pads Offer Cool-Off Spot

LAKE, MCHENRY, KANE COUNTIES, IL — The heat will remain today and those who have little kids at home may be looking for ways to cool off and get out for a bit.

Several Chicago-area pools and beaches have already closed for the summer season but at least one park district will be opening just for today due to the heat and there are plenty of splash pads still up and running at this point in the season — and some have even switched from charging residents to letting folks in for free as part of their "fall hours."

With that said, it's supposed to be even hotter Thursday than Wednesday, so local residents are reminded to heed safety tips while out and about: stay hydrated, stay out of the sun, remember to apply sunscreen and keep your time outside brief.

An excessive heat warning is in effect for the entire Chicago area until 8 p.m., and the afternoon is supposed to be the hottest, when temps could tip over 100 degrees and heat indexes could range from 110 to 115 degrees.

• Scorching Temperatures Rival Deadly 1995 Heat Wave In Chicago Area
  

Also keep in mind, small children are at a higher risk of heat-related illnesses, according to public officials.

So, check the weather before you head out, be sure to monitor your loved ones closely and, when in doubt, opt for air conditioning. Here are some more tips to check out before you decide to venture out.

Algonquin Opens Pool Due To Heat, Splash Pad Offerings

The village of Algonquin has decided to open its pool and splash pad Thursday afternoon — which are typically only open on the weekends right now — to offer local residents a place to cool off.

Lion Armstrong Pool, at 599 Longwood Drive in Algonquin, will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Michael Kumbera, deputy village manager for Algonquin, told Patch Thursday morning. The splash pad is located at the pool.

"We are opening both due to the heat today," Kumbera said. For those who do not have a pool pass, the cost is $3 per person to swim.

• Scorching Temperatures Rival Deadly 1995 Heat Wave In Chicago Area
  

Most pools and beaches have either closed for the season or are only open on weekends, but Otter Cove Aquatic Park, at 5615 Campton Hills Drive in St. Charles, is among the few currently offering limited hours during the week.

"Otter Cove Aquatic Park with it’s splash park is open limited hours weekdays and regular weekends through Labor Day weekend. Amenities and times are subject to change depending upon staff availability," Erika Young, public relations and marketing manager for the St. Charles Park District, told Patch in an email response. Swanson Pool in St. Charles has closed for the season.

Those wishing to stop out to Otter Cove should check the park district's website and Facebook page before you go to see if hours have been adjusted. On Thursday, the splash park at the facility will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the cost is $3 for residents and $5 for non-residents.

Open swim at the facility will run from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday. The cost is $7 per person for admission.

Young said Otter Cove did not see crowds flocking Wednesday to the pool as temps soared in the afternoon.

"(Attendance is) about the same, especially since we are open only evenings on weekdays and, sometimes, the excessive heat keeps people inside," Young said.

Splash pads in Crystal Lake, included Acorn Alley at Veterans Acre Park, located at Walkup Road and Route 176, and Crystal Castle, at 850 Willow Tree, are operating daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day.

Another great option, the splash pad at Sunset Park, 5200 Miller Road in Lake in the Hills, is also open daily — from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. — through Labor Day. The splash pad area has a shelter and picnic tables.

The splash pads in Lake in the Hills and Crystal Lake are always free.

Meanwhile, the Freddie Herriman Pederson Splashpad, at 225 Lions Drive in Barrington is free during "the fall" and the park district is currently operating with fall hours, according to a post on the park district's Facebook page. On Mondays through Fridays, the splash pad will be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Thursday, it will be closed from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. for park programming, according to the park district's website.

In Grayslake, the aquatic center is currently closed during week days but the village's free splash pad will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day. It is located at Central Park, 250 Library Lane.

The Mundelein Spray Park, 1041 N. Mundelein Road, is open daily in two-hour increments from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. The splash pad is free to residents and $5 for non-residents.

Be sure to check with your local pool, splash pad or beach before stopping out to see if they are open. And if you know of an area pool, beach or splash pad that is open and worth mentioning in today's article, let senior local editor Amie Schaenzer know by texting her at 847-790-6417.