TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Summer arrived with a splash Saturday as Pima County officially opened its public pools for the 2026 swim season, offering residents a way to beat the heat just ahead of Memorial Day.
Families gathered at Los Niños Pool on Tucson’s south side for the opening day festivities, where children leapt into the water and neighbors settled in for an afternoon under the sun.
Pima County’s aquatics program operates nine public pools and two splash pads during the summer season, with county officials announcing earlier this year that recreational swimming would be free at all county aquatic facilities in 2026.
For many nearby residents, the reopening of the neighborhood pool marked the unofficial start of summer.
“My kids love it here,” said Eduardo Iturralde, who lives near the pool. “We live down the street here on Rex Ave. So this is basically our backyard pool here.”
Families packed the pool deck Saturday afternoon as schools across Southern Arizona begin letting students out for summer break.
“We have a bunch of our nephews who are coming by,” said Nathalie Chavira, a Los Niños neighbor. “So it’s just a time celebrate with our family… The first day of no school!”
The county suspended daily admission fees for open and lap swim sessions this year in an effort to expand access to aquatic programs and provide additional heat-relief options during Tucson’s hot summer months. Fees still apply for programs such as swim lessons and swim teams.
That change came as welcome news to poolgoers Saturday.
“I was ready to buy a pass for the whole summer,” Iturralde said. “But they just informed it it’s free. And that’s great news for us, cuz it leave us to not have to worry about bringing money all the time to the pool.”
Others were already planning family gatherings around pool visits in the coming weeks.
“I feel like it’s more time with the family,” Chavira said. “My nephews are always in school so it’s really hard to find the time. So now we can do a lot more carne asadas and hang out by the pool.”
County pools are scheduled to remain open through July.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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