GRAB YOUR SWIM SUITS & SUNSCREEN!

SUMMER SWIMMING & OPERATION SPLASH ARE BACK!

Kick-off celebration at the historic Griffith Park Pool

Los Angeles - The heat is back for the summer months and so are 33 seasonal pools run by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The 2010 Summer Swim Season began with a kick-off celebration at the historic Griffith Park Pool on Friday, June 25.

The Department's 33 seasonal pool locations officially opened on Saturday, June 26 and will remain open through the end of August. Seasonal pools offer morning and afternoon public swim sessions. Additionally, 16 year-round pools began their summer schedule and offer afternoon and evening swim sessions to the general public.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, The Department of Recreation and Parks, Kaiser Permanente and The LA84 Foundation were all on-hand to help cut the red ribbon and make a splash to start the Summer Swim Season and Operation Splash.

The Department of Recreation and Parks is partnering for the fifth straight year with Kaiser Permanente for Operation Splash. For the 2010 summer, the Department received a $250,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente Southern California that will fund free swim lessons for 6,000 low-income youth and adults at 35 pools across the City. The program will also support free junior lifeguard training for 780 low-income youth at 49 City pools and extend the summer swim season for one week at seven locations serving about 10,000 pool patrons.

The LA84 Foundation is also joining the efforts to make youngsters water safe and provide them with the opportunity to participate in water polo, synchronized swimming and diving. Over the last 25 years the LA84 Foundation has consistently assisted the City's efforts to provide Los Angeles youth with access to quality sports programs.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks' Aquatic Division offers a variety of water activities, including recreational swimming, water awareness, adaptive swimming, Team Sports, Junior Lifeguard program and water exercise. For the 12th consecutive year, children age 17 or younger, seniors 65 or older and the disabled can swim for FREE at all City pools. Children ages 3-6 must be potty-trained and accompanied by an adult at all times; children under 3 must wear a swim diaper. The charge for adults ages 18-64 is $2.50; those with a City library card will pay $2.

For more information call the Department's Aquatic Division at (323) 906-7953 or e-mail at Citywide.Aquatics@lacity.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Andrea Epstein: (213) 202-2690

Amy A. Garcia: (213) 202-2689