Although the official start to summer is June 21, many teenagers consider the first day of summer to be the day when the pools open: May 23. Most students and faculty members belong to a community pool. If you are not a member or do not like your pool, there are multiple other options for you. You can go with a friend as a guest or buy a different pool membership. Each community pool has its own perks as well as certain drawbacks. Here is The Purple Tide’s guide to finding the perfect pool for you.

Greenbriar Pool

The Greenbriar pool is located on Point Pleasant Drive near Greenbriar East.  This pool is a private organization, owned by 600 families. If one wants to be a member of this pool, a current member must be willing to sell his or her membership. It is also possible to rent pool memberships for a season. One can also visit this pool as a guest of a member. Current members have many fond memories associated with the pool.

“It’s a community pool so I’ve been going to this pool for a really long time with my friends,” sophomore Caitlyn Valenza said. “It has a lot of memories.”

The pool offers a variety of features including a snack bar, diving boards and lots of social space. The snack bar offers everything from chips to candy and pizza.

“There’s a lot of chairs near the pool so people can tan and talk,” sophomore Anna DeSena said.

The pool also has its own swim and dive team known as the Greenbriar Dolphins. However, a common complaint about this pool is the number of bees.

“There are a lot of bees near the playground and the trashcans,” Valenza said.

Armfield Farm

Another popular pool is the Armfield Farm pool. It is located on Armfield Farm Drive near Franklin Middle School. In order to go to this pool, your family must be a member of the Armfield Farm Homeowner’s Association. Members may bring one free guest to the pool with them for 10 entries. However, every additional guest after that must pay a fee. One-day guest passes and extended-stay passes are available for $3.50 and $7 per week, respectively.The pool includes features such as a water slide, a playground and a volleyball court. Members may purchase food from nearby vending machines. The pool also has its own swim team known as the Armfield Farm Stingrays. Many community pools have a depth of four to six feet, which is why a feature that many people enjoy about this pool is the depth.

“I’m looking forward to the deep end, which is about eight to ten feet,” sophomore Isaiah Harris said.

However, like every pool, it has its drawbacks.

“There are a lot of little kids that run around in our pool,” Harris said. “I don’t really like that.”

Franklin Glen

The Franklin Glen pool is another hotspot where many students enjoy their summers. It is located on Springhaven Drive near Franklin Middle School. Membership for this pool is given to all Franklin Glen residents. If you are not a resident, you can visit this pool as a guest of a Franklin Glen member. A factor that draws people into this pool is its accomplished swim team. The Franklin Glen Gators offer many programs for kids of different age levels to engage in while swimming. This includes a swim team and mentorship programs for members between ages five and 18.

“This year I’m going to be a ‘Gatoraide,’” sophomore Chloe Ramich said. “This means I help out the little kids and teach them how to swim and do well during their swim season.”

Another quality that draws people to this pool is its organization and cleanliness. However, despite its cleanliness, the pool still receives complaints about the amount of bugs in the pool in the morning.

Brookfield

The Brookfield pool, home of the Brookfield Breakers, is located on Pennsboro Drive near Brookfield Elementary School. This pool is one of the most open pools in the area because it does not have certain community restrictions. Membership is open to anyone but requires an annual fee. Some of the features the pool has are water slides, diving boards and multiple lap lanes. Because the pool is open to many people, it is one of the most crowded pools in the area. Because so many people go to this pool, it can sometimes become unclean.

“I least like that the pool is close to the playground,” sophomore Cara McFerren said. “When that happens, you have to wash off your feet before you get back in.”

Chantilly Highlands

The Chantilly Highlands pool is located in the Chantilly Highlands community right across the street from Oak Hill Elementary School. This pool is open to all members of the Chantilly Highlands community and their guests. The pool is a main attraction for social gatherings among various age groups.

“It’s the neighborhood pool for the one I live in,” sophomore Ella Spohn said. “I like that it’s close and I can walk there,”

Chantilly Highlands is one of the bigger pools in the area and has two diving boards. The pool is also located near the playground, providing easy access for younger kids. The snack bar is well stocked and has multiple snacks including chips, candies and popsicles. The lifeguards keep the pool clean and organized.

Poplar Tree Pool

The Poplar Tree pool is located on Point Pleasant Drive near Rocky Run Middle School. The pool is limited to Poplar Tree homeowners and is central to the community.The pool is not as big as some other pools, but it does include a small waterslide. It has it own swim team known as the Poplar Tree Pirates. The pool is also located near the community playground and tennis court, giving guests an opportunity to do other activities before or after swimming. However, the pool does not include a snack bar.

“We don’t have a physical snack bar,” sophomore Justen Holl said. “You can buy food from the lifeguards, like ice cream.”