Courtesy DPR

The pools are open! The pools are open!

Thus declared D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty today (well, we’re paraphrasing slightly). The outdoor municipal swimming pool season got its official start at a ceremony at the Anacostia Pool this morning, though minus any sort of mayoral or celebrity cannonball. Instead, members of the Bell Multicultural and Dunbar Senior High swim teams did the honors by being the first to dive in. It’s nice to get the kids involved, but is too much to ask for something a little sillier, Mr. Mayor?

The ceremony also served to allow the mayor to announce that D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation’s pools are now in compliance with the new federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety law, as well as the launch of a new website, dcsummerfun.dc.gov, designed to direct residents to a variety of summer programs available through the District. The federal Pool and Spa Safety Act went into effect December 19, 2008, and requires installation of drain or grate covers on all public pools and spas to protect swimmers from suction entrapment.

Dr. Ximena Hartsock, Acting Director of DPR, was also on hand for the ceremony.

“District residents will find DPR swimming pools ready and open earlier and safer than ever before,” said Hartsock.

The DC Free Swim program, which will allow District residents to swim without fees at all operating pools, will continue this year, with continued financial support from the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States.

Residents can find pool hours, locations and schedules at the dcsummerfun.dc.gov web site. DPR’s outdoor pools will be open on weekends only from May 23 to June 7, 2009. Beginning June 13, pools will be open daily.