More than an hour before Sandcastle Water Park opens in West Homestead, a tight-knit group of friends can be found waiting to claim lawn chairs by the pool.

Chuck George became friends with Roseanne Fowler and Roseann Hill more than eight years ago after meeting them at the water park. Now their friend group is about a dozen people strong.

They were among the throng at Sandcastle on Wednesday as the unrelenting heat wave blanketed the region.

“If we can’t be here at opening, we don’t come usually,” said George, 78, of West Mifflin, who goes to Sandcastle a couple of days a week.

Despite the extreme heat in Western Pennsylvania — with temperatures in the 90s — they weren’t deterred.

“It’s been awhile since we had this,” George said, recalling 1988, which sticks in his mind as the closest long stretch of high temperatures.

Sandcastle opens at 11 a.m. He said the crew starts waiting outside about 9:30 a.m.

“The friends gather and talk — the time goes fast,” George said.

Another perk? They’re guaranteed good parking spaces, he said.

Fowler, 76, of Regent Square, and Hill, 72, of Whitaker, can be found lounging by the pool around five days per week.

“We’re Sandcastle friends,” Fowler said. “That’s really where we met … out at the gates.”

Hill explained that the friendships blossomed because they had nothing better to do than talk while waiting for the park to open.

“You see the same people all the time, you start to talk,” she said.

The trio said Monday was the most crowded this week, but Tuesday and Wednesday saw a regular-sized crowd.

“Monday they kept pouring in. There (were) no breaks,” George said, pointing toward the entrance.

Fowler said she’s been loving this week’s heat.

“I’m happy with anything above 80,” she said.

Hill is most comfortable with temperatures between 80 and 85 degrees. And for George, he’s partial to the lower 80s.

“If it’s like 97 and 98 every day, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

No matter what the temperature is, George said the group heads home around 2 p.m.

“That’s enough sun,” he said, laughing.

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