The Wes Deist Aquatic Center in Idaho Falls will continue to offer free swim days to children this summer starting June 2.
Since beginning free swim days in 2024, over 1,000 youth have signed up with even more planning to this summer. Children ages 4-12 can get one free swim night a week, and all parents need to do is register them to reserve a spot.
Free swim days will start June 2 and continue through all of June and July and most of August.
Ashli Johnson is the Aquatic Center Supervisor. She says free swim days were inspired by the ‘Kids Bowl Free’ program.
“I kind of got jealous of the free bowling that they offer during the summer and I was like ‘If they can offer free bowling, I can offer free swimming,’ so we did and it’s been good,” Johnson said. “It’s been a really nice program for those kids. It keeps us busy and gives people a place to go.”
While free swim days give locals a chance to get out, exercise and have fun together, a big reason for them is simply letting people know the aquatic center even exists.
“It really is awareness,” Johnson said. “Nobody knows we’re here. Nobody knows that we have [the aquatic center] and a lot of people don’t understand that we offer swim lessons. I think everybody deserves to get in the water. If I could make every person be required to take swim lessons, I would do it.”
The free swim days are a good measuring stick for parents to know where their children stand in terms of their swimming abilities.
“This is a way for them to at least come and experience it and know if their kids don’t like the water or if they love the water,” Johnson said. “It’s a way for everybody to dip their toes in and see how they like it.”
Amenities at the aquatic center include an indoor pool with a shallow end and 13-foot-deep end, two slides, a hot tub, an outside wading pool and, occasionally, an inflatable climbing mountain in the deep end for the youth.
The aquatic center will open to the public Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 6:30-9 p.m. beginning June 2. To register and find more information, go to the city of Idaho Falls' website or call the aquatic center at 208-612-8519.