Summer in Oxford will be in full swing as the Oxford Aquatic Center opens this Monday, May 29. In addition, on Memorial Day Weekend, Hueston Woods will kick off its new season.

The aquatic center, opening for its fifth year, will have many events like the Bash ‘n Splash, a baseball tournament for kids involving free pool passes, June 10, and the Doggie Dip Sept. 4, at the end of the summer. The pool season ends on Labor Day. 

Last year’s lifeguard shortage will not be a problem this season, according to Casey Wooddell, director of Oxford Parks and Recreation. 

“We can always use more,” he said, but reassured that they will move forward “without compromising safety.”

As many as 30,000 people visit the aquatic center each summer, many from outside of Oxford. It will be open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Hueston Woods State Park will also hold canoe excursions, pontoon trips, hikes and many other activities over Memorial Day Weekend.

“[I’m excited for] everything that we do,” Kathryn Conner, the park manager, said. 

Though the beach is sometimes closed during the summer when heightened E. coli levels are measured in the lake water, Conner is confident that the lake will be healthy and safe for swimmers, even though “it doesn’t look like it.”

According to Conner, the only concern comes after prolonged periods of dryness followed by sudden rain. She said this will net a “small spike in e-coli” that generally normalizes after a day or two. The Ohio Department of Health posts water quality monitoring results for Ohio beaches here. 

She assured that the lake will be swimmable, healthy and safe on Memorial Day.