Tuesday marked the opening day for the Atmore City Pool at Tom Byrne Park.

With the opening of the pool comes summer fun, eager swimmers and swimming lessons.

Betty Warren, director of the pool, said this is her favorite time of the year.

“The opening of pool is the highlight of my year,” Warren said. “Whenever the pool opens, we see some children that we have not seen in almost a year. It’s nice to see their faces. The ability to be with the children in an informal setting is always a lot of fun.”

The pool opened fresh as renovations to the pool’s surface have recently been completed.

Warren said that the work that was done is something the pool had needed for awhile.

“It was very much needed and very much appreciated,” Warren said. “We had a hard time keeping the water clear last summer, so this is a blessing.”

As for the crowd that could be at the pool this summer, Warren is worried about the economy’s affect on visitors.

Warren said that it should not deter anyone from coming out because it is a cheap way to have fun.

“With the economy how it is, I’m worried we might see a dropoff, but there’s not a better deal around,” Warren said. “One dollar swimming for three hours is extremely affordable and is hard to compete with.”

Also in the loop for the summer are swimming lessons.

Registration for the first sesson of swim lessons began Tuesday and will run until the classes are filled.

Warren said that having children take swim lessons is always vital.

“It can be the difference between life and death,” Warren said. “It’s like CPR. Our ability to offer swim lessons at such a low cost is wonderful and important because we are so close to the water.”

With the swim lessons, students learn several skills that will help them have a safer, more fun experience in the water.

Warren said the classes at the pool do a good job of teaching even the smallest children important techniques.

“We go over safety skills and how to respect the water,” Warren said. “You’d be surprised at how much the little ones will remember. We have parents come and tell us how their child came home and explained the techniques they learned in their swim lesson.”

Safety is always an important factor at the pool in Tom Byrne Park.

Warren said keeping the children safe is always first priority.

“Whether it’s teaching them safety in swim lessons or just making sure they are safe in public swimming, we make sure children are safe,” Warren said. “For public swimming, we have four lifeguards and don’t let them leave the pool area unless we are instructed too.”

Public swimming

• Monday-Saturday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.

• Tuesday and Thursday from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Swimming lessons

• Monday- Friday from 9 a.m. until noon (1-hour sessions)

• Tuesday & Thursday from 5:20 p.m. until 6:50 p.m. (Thirty-minute sessions).

Swim lesson registration

• June 1-until classes full from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. (Classes begin June 7)

• June 21-until classes full from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. (Classes begin June 28)

• July 12-until classes full from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. (Classes begin July 19).