LANSING — There’s a lot of places to cool off in the water near Lansing this summer, despite some of the area’s longstanding favorite pools being dry.
There are thousands of state-inspected public pools in Michigan, ranging from large municipal water parks with slides, like the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center, to small fitness center pools and hotel spas.
Several notable pools have closed or temporarily shuttered in recent years including the now-demolished large outdoor pool at Michigan State University, the under-renovation historic Moores Park Pool and the nearly-upgraded Mason High pool.
Hiring enough people to watch pools and beaches has long been a challenge for some municipalities but the city of Lansing has been able to hire plenty of lifeguards for the first time since well before the pandemic, said Brett Kaschinske, Lansing’s parks and recreation director.
“For the first time, we have enough lifeguards to run Hunter Park Pool and Splash Pad at capacity,” said Stacey McNamara, aquatics and senior programmer for the parks department.
Kaschinske said having a fully-staffed roster of lifeguards gives the city flexibility to run programs at Hunter Pool, Hunter Splash Pad and the Alfreda Schmidt Community Center Pool.
Lifeguards are required at public pools with diving boards and those that are exceptionally large with 2,400 square feet or more as well as government-owned pools, including school pools.
State officials attributed lifeguard hiring challenges in 2023 to COVID and a lack of in-person training.
Here’s a list of places to cool off as temperatures rise this summer:
Let’s start with swimming pools
Alfreda Schmidt Community Center Pool
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
It was the only Lansing city pool to open at the start of the season.
There is adult lap swimming for $3, or a $25 membership, from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Open swim hours are from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
Charlotte Aquatic Center
1068 Carlisle Highway, Charlotte
The center has a 91-degree therapy pool, with regular programming, and an 83-degree competition pool with more open times. Entry is $5, or $40 for 12 swims, and instructional classes could cost more.
The main pool is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the same hours on Thursdays with a gap from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., when the pool is closed. It also is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The main pool is open to members and non-members throughout the week but some lanes may be taken by instructional classes. The therapy pool adult swim hours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays.
East Lansing Family Aquatic Center
6400 Abbot Road, East Lansing
This is a family- and kid-centered pool with 190- and 140-foot water slides, zero entry pool, splash park, concession stand and water features for toddlers.
The pool is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until Aug. 24, which marks the start of the school year for some districts.
It reopens that weekend, with the same hours, from Aug. 29 through Aug. 31, and closes at 5 p.m. for the last day, Sept. 1.
Daily admission is $13; season passes are $115; and booklets of 10 tickets, $110. There also are senior discounts, along with free entry for children 2-years-old or younger. Combo passes, for both the aquatic center and the East Lansing Hannah Community Center pool, also are available.
East Lansing Hannah Community Center
819 Abbot Road, East Lansing
The center has a 25-yard indoor heated pool that is closed for a maintenance project. It is expected to reopen in late July. Some of the center’s programs have moved to the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center.
Mason High School
1001 S. Barnes St., Mason
The school pool opens for the summer season on June 9. There are regular lessons and classes with open swim hours from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays. There are no open swims on July 4, Aug. 1 and Aug. 5.
Open swim entry is $3 for adults and $2 for students and seniors, or an $8 family of four rate ($1 for additional family members).
St. Johns High School pool
501 W. Sickles St., St Johns
There are regular swim lessons Mondays through Thursdays with morning swim hours from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Adult lap swim hours as well as aqua therapy times, are from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The rates are $5 for city residents, with passes available for $46, and non-residents will pay more.
Don’t forget the beaches
Before you swim at a public beach, take a quick check on the conditions at a state-maintained BeachGuard database (https://www.egle.state.mi.us/beach/).
The database tracks approximately 1,200 public beaches and 600 private beaches in the state for closures and advisories.
Burchfield Park Beach
881 Grovenburg Road, Holt
The beach is in a 540-acre park with woods and trails and public beach access. The beach is open from noon to 8 p.m. and staffed with lifeguards as available. There is a bath house.
Like other Ingham County parks, there is a vehicle entry fee.
Clinton Lakes County Park
4665 N. DeWitt Road, St. Johns
Across the street from Motz Park, this park features a stocked fishing pond, a sloped swim area, toilets and five miles of hiking trails. It is also free and operates with the same schedule as Motz.
Clinton Trails County Park
7575 W. Pratt Road, DeWitt
Debuting in spring 2024, Clinton Trails County Park features a shoreline and paddle craft fishing, hiking trails, nature watching and photography opportunities. A highlight of the new park is a 7-acre lake that looks good for fishing, kayaking and swimming. Take a break from the water to relax or let the kids play on the sandy beach, which takes up a third of the lake’s shoreline.
Crandell Park
3425 E. Clinton Trail, Charlotte
Eaton County’s newest park includes the county’s largest lake, at just under 160 acres and depths of up to 37 feet. Swimmers are welcome, along with bird, wildlife, fishing enthusiasts, and hikers, runners, and kayakers.
Fox Memorial Park
3981 E. Gresham Highway, Potterville
This beach, on a small kidney-shaped lake in a 100-acre park, is open from 8 a.m. to dusk. The park includes restrooms, trails and an open air observatory.
Hawk Island Park
1601 E. Cavanaugh Road, Lansing
Hawk Island has a swimming beach, Splash Pad area, picnic areas and shelters, paved and accessible walkways and fishing docks. There is a vehicle entrance fee to enter Hawk Island year round – $3 for county residents and $5 for others, with yearly passes available.
Lake Lansing Park South
1621 Pike St., Haslett
It is the former home of an amusement park with some remnants remaining, like a small racing track now used for tricycles. The park has a sandy beach, bath house and snack bar, and there are regular concerts during the summer. It is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day from noon to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
The beach may be closed during poor weather and lifeguards will be on duty when available.
The Ingham County park has a vehicle entry fee of $3 for county residents and $5 for others, with yearly passes available.
Motz County Park
4630 N. DeWitt Road, St. Johns
The completely handicap-accessible park has a sandy beach, unisex bathrooms, picnic tables, a fishing pier and trails. The park is free. It is open from 8 a.m. until sundown and park rangers are on duty until Labor Day.
Park Lake Beach
6244 Park Lake Road, Bath Township
The sandy beach with a swim area, pavilion, picnic area, fishing dock and portable bathroom is on the north shore of Park Lake and near the Park Lake Creamery. There is parking for about 20 vehicles.
Sleepy Hollow State Park
7835 E. Price Road, Laingsburg
According to the state’s website, the modern campground and shelters will be closed until November because of a planned enhancement project to replace the toilet and shower building, pave campground roads and update the beach building. But the park of more than 2,600 sprawling acres still features Lake Ovid and a swim beach.
Valhalla Park
2287 Pine Tree Road, Holt
The park has bathrooms, a beach and playground along with baseball/softball diamonds. It is open 8 a.m. to dusk year-round, with cross-country skiing taking place of swimming during the winter.
Last but not least: Splash parks
Grand Ledge Splash Pad at Jaycee Park
525 E. River St., Grand Ledge
The Jaycee Park splash pad is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Labor Day weekend. The splash pad is free.
Hawk Island Splash Pad
1601 E. Cavanaugh Road, Lansing
The splash pad at Hawk Island Park will be open through Labor Day weekend from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, weather permitting. The splash pad is free, but there is an Ingham County vehicle fee to worry about. The park also includes a beach and an asphalt walking trail around the entire lake. The beach is open from noon to 8 p.m. and staffed with lifeguards when available.
St. Johns Community Spray Park
805 W. Park St., St. Johns
The St. Johns Community Spray Park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. There is no admission charge.
Did we miss your favorite swimming spot? Let us know!
Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: 20 swimming pools, beaches and splash pads to cool off in Greater Lansing this summer
Reporting by Mike Ellis, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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