The temperature reached only into the 60s Saturday afternoon, but 12-year-olds Kelsey Kingrey and Ashley Schell were still at the Jimmy Hilton Municipal Pool. Both girls said they live close by and go to the pool every day during the summer.

"It's fun. You can get wet and get a tan," Kelsey said.

The lily pads are Kelsey's favorite part, and going to the pool gives her a chance to see her friends. As for the weather Saturday, even though she said it was kind of chilly, she didn't mind.

"The water is kind of warm - warmer than it is outside," Kelsey said.

Not everyone is so devoted to swimming.

The cool, rainy weather this spring has kept people from buying their summer swimming passes so far this season, according to Erin Smith, aquatics specialist for the city's outdoor pools. The pools opened Friday for the season.

"I think the weather has hindered a few people from buying passes, but I think once it warms up again, they'll come back around," Smith said.

The Jimmy Hilton Municipal Pool and Parkview Pool open at noon daily, and the Horace Mann Pool opens at 1 p.m. daily. Swimming passes are available at the Rapid City Swim Center, 125 Waterloo St.

While kids were focusing on school and playing in the snow this February, pool maintenance crews were already ordering parts and preparing for the opening day of the outdoor pools. Smith said there is a lot of maintenance work that goes into opening the pools on time, which is usually one week after school gets out.

Some of the pools need to be repainted, motors need to be checked, yards need to be mown, chairs set up, restrooms and locker rooms cleaned and the paperwork for programs and swimming lessons needs to be ready to go, Smith said.

In order to prepare for the summer swim season, Barb Limbo, aquatics specialist, said she, Smith and the maintenance crews need to constantly be a season ahead.

"In the fall, we were planning for summer, in the summer, now we'll start planning for fall again," Limbo said.

Smith said the temperature outdoors must be 65 degrees Fahrenheit for the pools to open. All of the outdoor pools have heaters, and the water temperature remains between 78 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Outdoor pools close if lightning or thunder is detected anywhere in the area. Thirty minutes must pass from the time the last thunder or lightning is observed before anybody can get back into the water. The final decision to close the pools for the remainder of the day is left up to Smith.

"It depends on what the weather storm looks like, what it's doing," she said. "If it is hanging around, then we'll make that call."

There is also a no-refund policy in the case of a thunderstorm, so it is recommended that people check the weather before coming to the pool.

Dion James, 12, said he was excited for the pools to open and expects to go almost every day this summer. Dion lives close enough that he can ride his bike and hang out with his friends during the day while his mom is at work.

"You can jump high and feel the wind and stuff, and have fun," James said.

Dion's mom, Crystal Twiggs, said the pool is a good place for him to spend time while she is working.

"It keeps his mind off of negative thoughts, and he stays in his age group," Twiggs said.

Even though the weather has kept some people from buying pool passes, classes for swimming lessons are filling up fast for the first session. Limbo is in charge of swimming lessons; she said she already has a waiting list in just about every class for the June 16 session.

People can register for swimming lessons at the Swim Center. For information, call 394-5223.