Orono’s public pool is finally reopening

Orono residents will finally get a break from the summer heat.

The Nickerson Pool is reopening Saturday, and it will be open noon to 7 p.m. seven days a week, according to Orono Parks and Recreation.

The Nickerson Pool is typically open mid-June to late August, but its reopening was delayed after the town learned it needed to replace the pool liner.

Between August and October 2023, Orono spent $110,000 to replace the pool’s gutter , which was leaking 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of water a day.

During construction, the liner had to be removed. Once the project was completed, the town discovered the liner had been damaged. Without a liner, the pool couldn’t reopen.

So the Town Council in March approved $150,000 to replace the liner.

The pool saw about 70 visitors a day in 2023, and the town sells about 60 season passes each year.

Tickets can be bought online or with cash at the pool. They cost $3 a day for residents and $6 for nonresidents. Residents can buy season passes for $30 for single and $60 for family, while nonresidents pay $60 and $120, respectively, for season passes.