New slides mean fun at Outdoor Pool

5:26 p.m., May 20, 2005--If you still haven’t signed up for a UD Outdoor Pool membership, a pair of new, True-Blue kid-friendly pool slides might just change your mind.

Two new, 10-foot-high waterslides, awash with plenty of graphics featuring that fun-loving mascot YoUDee, were recently installed at UD’s Outdoor Pool. The UD blue slides, trimmed with gold banisters and handrails, combine traditional UD colors with the potential for a summer of poolside fun the kids will be sure to enjoy.

James Kaden, Outdoor Pool manager, said the new slides reflect the changing nature of what parents and kids want from their local community pools.

“Families are looking for entertainment for the kids as well as swimming,” Kaden said. “The new slides will be more fun for the kids.”

Kaden said interested individuals who want to take a look at the new slides are welcome to visit the pool during the week and staff members will take them out to the pool deck.

Graphic enhancements for the slides featuring YoUDee enjoying some summer fun were created by Don McElroy, a graphic designer in UD’s Office of Public Relations.

“We were looking to create something that was fun and energetic,” McElroy said. “We tried to incorporate an image of the kind of things YoUDee would enjoy doing at the pool.”

Individual and family memberships still available

The 2005 season runs from May 29-Aug. 29, plus Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5.

During the past three summers, individual and family memberships sold out well before midseason, and this year more than 375 memberships have been renewed.

New registrations are now available at [www.udel.edu/outdoorpool/], and membership applications also are being accepted from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, at the Fred Rust Ice Arena.

The UD Outdoor Pool, the largest in the state, is located behind the Gold Ice Arena and also features a new pool heater to keep the water temperature comfortable throughout the swimming season.

Other amenities include shower and changing facilities, a 6-inch-deep baby pool; a snack bar with new menu options, including small salads, cups of fruit and yogurt; and a deck complete with chaise lounge furniture. Lessons are available to members on a first-come, first-served basis, at an additional charge.

Special events for members include free guest weekends, an annual members' picnic and a Pool Appreciation Day.

University employees may pay for their pool membership through payroll deductions. Call (302) 831-2868 or visit [www.udel.edu/outdoorpool/].

Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photo by Don McElroy

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