Las Animas pool opens for summer with daily swim hours, fees

Families in Las Animas got a clear summer window when the city pool opened May 23, with open swim set daily from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and lap swim from noon to 1 p.m. The schedule gives regular swimmers a predictable block every day, while also setting aside a midday lane for lap users.

The city also laid out the price of a day at the pool. Children ages 3 to 17 pay $2.75 per session, adults 18 and over pay $3.50, and children 2 and under are free with an adult. Children 5 and under must be accompanied by an adult, and the pool will not offer adult swim or night swim this season.

For families planning birthdays or group outings, pool parties are available for $85 for the first hour and $50 for each additional hour. Party times can be scheduled any day from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with payment and scheduling handled at the pool. Frequent users also have a lower-cost option: punch cards are sold in two sizes, 20 punches for $45 and 40 punches for $85.

The city said the pool will close June 5-7 and July 24-26 for swim meets, a sign that competitive swimming will take over the facility for short stretches during the summer. The season is set to end August 8, giving Las Animas residents a defined run of summer access before the pool closes for the year.

Linda Morlan is listed as pool manager, and the city provided 719-456-9960 for pool information. In a county where Las Animas serves as the seat of government and the only incorporated municipality, the pool remains one of the clearest public recreation services available to residents. Bent County’s population was 5,650 in the 2020 census, underscoring how much weight a single city facility can carry when it comes to affordable summer recreation, swim instruction and relief from the heat.