Lubbock’s Summer Survival Guide: 9 Ways to Stay Cool Without a Pool

Another blazing hot Lubbock summer is on the horizon, and we still don't have a single public pool for you to take the kiddos to. It's a shame.

When I was growing up here, we always had somewhere to go. Public pools were everywhere, and we had some pretty spiffy ones, too. My folks bought a house with an indoor pool when I was 12 or 13; that became the hotspot for my friends from school and church. We swam in it year-round, and it was awesome.

These days, my folks hardly ever use the awesome indoor pool. My siblings are all grown up and out of the house, and it's way too expensive to keep it warm and ready to go when it isn't getting much use. If I want to swim, I've got to call and make an appointment with my dad so he can crank up the heater and toss in some chemicals. It usually takes 3 or 4 days before it's ready for action. And, if you cancel on him after he goes to all that trouble, you'll never hear the end of it...

Listen, I'd invite everyone to my parents' house, but I don't think it would fly for long... They are still mad about the time my friends and I went skinny-dipping in high school. We forgot about the security cameras. Rookie mistake...

Pool maintenance is pricey, which seems to be the main reason Lubbock no longer has a public pool. There isn't much we can do about it but whine, and nobody likes a whiner...

Instead, I've got a list of alternative ways you can stay cool in Lubbock without a public pool. We're going to make it through the summer, guys, I promise.

Since you can't take a deep dive, take a deep breath, and then review some of my silly ideas...

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