Austin is diving into an initiative that could make a splash for local swimmers this summer. The city's Parks and Recreation Department has rolled out a free swim pilot program, axing entrance fees at Walnut Creek Pool and playing Santa Claus with no-cost swim days at several other locations, according to Austin Monitor.

Here's the lowdown: Walnut Creek Pool is free for the duration of the summer. Bartholomew Pool, which is comfortably nestled near the Mueller Development, and Garrison Pool down south, are both hosting two free swim days. Following the adage that there's no such thing as a free lunch, the program is built on a resolution that was pushed through by City Council Member Alison Alter, who has characterized such community resources as mainstays of physical and mental well-being.

Austin seems to be cooking up an answer to the ever-crispy summers, with a resolution that City Council Member Alison Alter championed. According to a statement obtained by the Austin Monitor, Alter drafted the resolution directing the City Manager "to pilot reduced-entry fees or free swim days at several pools this swim season." This pilot is not just a shot in the dark; it's a calculated move backed by data, and it's all about keeping the community afloat as temperatures rise. It's an encore of Alter's 2023 efforts to slash fees amidst a heat wave that had even the bravest Texan seeking shade.

PARD's interim Director, Angela Means, penned a memo on June 7 highlighting the dual purpose of the pilot: to gauge how axing fees influence pool attendance and to fine-tune safety operations in response. "Maintaining the highest public safety standards at all aquatic facilities remains of utmost importance, regardless of attendance increases or changes," as stated by Austin Monitor.

Austin may be onto something, given it manages a notable portfolio of 34 pools each summer, plus 10 splash pads—and 26 of these are already free before the pilot even begins. We're promised an update on this initiative by October 18 of this year, which should give the city enough intel to decide whether to keep the no-cost pool party going indefinitely.