The public will be able to enjoy the new $2 million pool at Highlands High School through a free, open swim program for adults.

District officials plan to open the program as soon as January for people 18 and older to swim laps, engage in self-paced water aerobics or just walk around the shallow end.

“This opportunity has been something we have been working on since the day we put water back into the pool,” Athletic Director Katie Jo Stobert said.

“Creating opportunities for our community members is something our district strives to do.”

The district closed the pool in 2021 after it was leaking about 300 gallons of water an hour, or about 7,200 gallons a day.

At that time, residents lobbied the board to approve pool upgrades rather than close the facility for good. They argued that it was a vital public service and something that people enjoyed using prior to the closure.

Construction took a couple of years and included new concrete, a heating system and humidity control. The pool reopened last year.

Highlands will offer adult open swim sessions from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through April. Certified lifeguards will be on duty with a pool supervisor.

The program will be free to adults who live in the school district. The district is in the process of hiring lifeguards.

Moving forward, the open swim sessions will run from October through April.

Stobert said the program is a way to provide the community with a safe, structured opportunity for fitness and wellness. The initiative also will strengthen school-community relations.

“The more opportunities our district can offer, the greater the relationship we are able to build,” she said.

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