Editor's note: Shortly after this story was published, KUT got a statement from the city saying it would not close the pool earlier at this time.
The City of Austin will not reduce hours at Barton Springs Pool despite a sign posted this weekend teasing the earlier closure.
City Manager T.C Broadnax had directed all departments to identify 1.5% in cost-saving measures. The Parks and Recreation Department proposed closing the pool an hour earlier starting Sunday.
But Jessica King, chief communications officer with the city, said Broadnax had not approved the change or decided if it would save enough money to justify the earlier closure.
"Since the summer season is upon us and we prefer to provide residents with advanced notice on such changes, the City will not be implementing changes to pool hours at this time," King said. "However, as we prepare for next year’s budget, we must also prepare for tougher conversations across all department services."
Swimming is free at the pool from 9-10 p.m., and that last hour tends to be calmer, said Jennifer Hill, whose son is sensitive to bright lights and noise. The pair has been going for a night swim at least four times a week for the past decade — even in winter.
It’s less crowded, there's more parking and it's generally more peaceful, Hill said.
“It is a healing experience," she said, "and it has become a ritual bond that my son and I have shared since he was a child.”
Hill and other residents said if the change was made the community would lose a tradition like the full moon night swim. The closure would also create barriers for working families. The pool costs between $2 and $9 per person during regular hours, depending on where you live.
“The free night swim was the only way we could consistently experience the springs and feel part of something good and purely Austin,” said Nettie Reynolds, who has taken her two kids to swim at night because it's free. “To reduce that access now would be to quietly declare the springs are only for those who can afford them. … Barton Springs isn’t a resort. It’s a public treasure. And public means everyone.”
Council Member Ryan Alter, whose district touches parts of Zilker Park, said while that last hour is "swim at your own risk," there are still 10 staff members monitoring the pool and its facilities. The cost to keep them on adds up.
But Alter said keeping the pool open for the community, especially as the summer heat ramps up, may be more important than the potential savings from closing early.
“At the end of the day, we want our departments to try to save money where they can,” he said. “But also recognize that ... [if] the cost to the community is much more significant, it just doesn’t make sense.”
He said the city will be looking at other ways to cut costs.
