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The World War II Memorial Swimming Pool will be sporting a new look, a new staff and a host of new programs when it opens next month June 29. The Park and Recreation Department has been working hard to spruce up the pool and its operations since taking control of the pool's operations last July, explained Steven Carvalho, director of the North Attleborough Park and Recreation Department.
Since then, he said, his department has invested thousands of dollars to repaint both of the pools, refurbish the filter room in the big pool, upgrade the locker rooms and offices and spruce up the grounds, Carvalho said.
"You won't believe it's the same place," Carvalho said.
Opening Day is set for June 29, and the pool will be open seven days a week from 1 to 7 p.m. for general swim except for July 4, when it will be closed.
The pool is free of charge to North Attleborough residents, who can obtain family passes at the front desk.
Four Park and Recreation Department employees have earned their pool certification licenses, meaning they've taken the courses and exams required by law to run public pool facilities, Carvalho said. And Robert Guthrie, director of pool quality, will be returning to oversee the facilities for his 20th year.
The Park and Recreation Department also has hired two former high school swimming stars - Meredith Cronin and Aimee MacDonald - to oversee the swim team and swimming lessons.
Cronin, an accomplished swimmer and sophomore at Tufts University, will be overseeing the widely acclaimed RED TIDE swim team. MacDonald, a freshman at Bennington College who also was a star of the high school swim team, will run the swimming lessons program.
Carvalho said that both programs have been beefed up for this year, with more consistency in the staffing and a more hands-on approach to coaching and teaching.
"In the past, teachers weren't participants. They didn't jump in the pool for the most part," Carvalho explained. "Our instructors this year are going to be more hands-on. They're going to be more interactive in the pool. That's something we're emphasizing - direct connection with the people taking the lessons and in the pool."
In addition, Carvalho said, the Park and Recreation Department this year will for the first time be offering after-hours private and small group swimming lessons for a nominal fee. These lessons are designed to help competitive swimmers hone their skills, but also can help others who simply want to improve their overall swimming abilities, he said. But participation in the private lessons will be limited in order to keep class sizes small - most likely to groups of five or fewer, Carvalho said.

Also new this year will be special programs like "movie and swim nights" at the town pool, Carvalho said. He said he's hoping to partner with local organizations to arrange to keep the pool open late on certain nights and set up a movie screen on the grounds. "Parents can show up with their children and they can watch a movie, do some swimming and eat some popcorn - and just have a real Normal Rockwell kind of moment," he said.
Carvalho said he's also planning a special ceremony in July to re-dedicate the pool to the town's World War II veterans - whose generosity led to the construction of the town pool complex more than 50 years ago.
Many of them donated the stipends they'd received for serving in that war to the town to build the pool complex as a way to give something back to their community.

Carvalho said he's hoping to remind people of the veterans' legacy. "It's an amazing story," he said.
The World War II Memorial Swimming Pool opens for the season on Sunday, June 29, and will be open seven days a week from 1 to 7 p.m. for general swim. It will be closed on Friday, July 4. Family passes are available at the front desk.
There will be a special registration period for swim lessons on May 17 from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Mason Field House. Otherwise, signups will be held starting May 19 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Classes will be limited to a maximum of 20 children, so register early since they fill up fast. The cost is $25 per child, with a maximum of $65 per family. Please call the Park & Recreation Department at 508-699-0145 for more information.