A sure sign of spring and warmer weather, the aquatics area at the Wellness Center will open April 6.
Joey Greenwood, director of the Wellness Center, said, “The horrible weather from the previous two weeks delayed the opening of the pool.”
Of the $55,000 used to operate the aquatics area, $8,500 is allocated for cleaning and chemicals and as much as $33,000 is used for maintaining the quality of the pool.
While the pool is sure attract many students, some find it irresponsible to open the pool during a stage 5 drought catastrophe.
Hana Gettehun, nursing freshman, said, “I don’t want the pool to open back up.Wichita Falls is going through a horrible drought and all that water could help out.”
Just like many homes and businesses in Wichita Falls, the campus has its own water well that is used for the pool. It takes 57,230 gallons of water to fill the pool. It takes as much as 12,000 gallons to maintain the pool at its current volume.
A poll done by Halil Hicks, nursing freshman, found that 39 out of 50 students are looking for fun spring and summer time jobs near campus.
Jaylon Williams, nursing freshman, said, “It looks fun to work as a life guard at the pool, but it will suck if it’s only through work study.”
Greenwood said he is always hiring lifeguards who get paid $8.50 an hour and will also pay for the test to become a lifeguard and to renew the certification.
