At a glance
• Normal daily admission prices for the Cumming Aquatic Center’s outdoor leisure pool are $4 for children ages 2 to 17 and seniors 60 and older, and $5 for adults. Children 2 and younger are free.
• Each admission fee covers one “swim session.” Session 1 is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Session 2 is 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 3 to 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.
• Daily admission fee covers the full day on Sunday, which runs from 1 to 6 p.m.
• Monthly, 90-day and annual passes are available at varying prices.
• The indoor competition pool is open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays for those wishing to swim laps.
• The instructional pool is open from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Source: City of Cumming
More than 2,100 people came out for the opening of the Cumming Aquatic Center on Monday.
Greg Little, the city’s recreation and parks director, said a storm starting rolling in about 6 p.m., so the outdoor pool was cleared at that time before reopening later.
“At the point of that thunder, we stopped counting and we had 2,100 people who had come through,” he said.
The $15 million facility is located on Pilgrim Mill Road and includes an outdoor leisure pool with kids’ splash play area, lazy river and 156-foot water slide, as well as two indoor pools, one for competition and the other therapy.
Little said the opening day crowd exceeded expectations.
“We were expecting a big crowd, but I don’t think ever in our wildest dreams did we expect more than 2,000 people,” he said.
Little said due to the large numbers in the afternoon, a line formed for the outdoor leisure pool. It reached around the building.
“At one point there was probably a one-hour wait to get in,” he said.
The large crowd was due partly to no admission charge. City leaders wanted to provide a free opening day so everyone could enjoy the facility.
Overall things went smoothly for the first day, Little said.
“All our life guards did an outstanding job,” he said. “We’re very pleased and proud of the way the guards and staff handled everything.”
Little said crews cleaned up Monday night and came in early Tuesday for the first day of normal operations.
“We’re seeing much smaller, calmer crowds today,” he said Tuesday morning.