ST. CLAIRSVILLE — As the summer heat is still baking the Ohio Valley, Allen Pool is setting out to provide residents a chance to cool off.

Memorial Park Board member Conrad Heydle said the pool is experiencing the most August traffic he’s seen in several years. Heydle credits the high temperatures, but also believes that Allen Pool has a long standing reputation of being a clean and reasonably priced public pool.

“I think it’s mainly the weather, but I know for myself, I come here just about every day and sit over in the grass with my wife and listen to people say how they like our pool,” he said. “It’s gotten a reputation now as being one of the nicest pools in the area.”

Day rates are free for ages 2 and under, $3 for ages 3-17, $5 for ages 18-59 and $3 for those age 60 and older.

Although it expired for the season, family passes were $130.

Heydle added that the pool has not raised its family passes in 25 years, wanting to remain affordable for families. He said that the prices are able to stay the same price is due to a 0.5-mill permanent improvement levy that will be up for renewal on the upcoming 2025 ballot.

“It’s a renewal, so no new tax. It’s a very small levy, only a half-mill, which is probably the smallest levy in Belmont County,” he said.

Park Manager Kate Banks said that another reason residents come to the pool is its location at Memorial Park.

“We have a lot of other opportunities that you can come into the park now. We get a lot of disc golf players, and they’ll come after they play disc golf and swim,” Banks said. “Pickleball is very popular right now, and they’ll come down and swim too. So it’s other things that are bringing people to the park and then they see our pool and come swimming.”

She added that Memorial Park is going to spend the off season resurfacing the basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts.

Heydle said that at the last Memorial Park board meeting, the board voted in favor of extending the playground in order to add new playground equipment. It has not been decided what equipment will be purchased or when it will be added to the park.

Heydle said that the board also applied for the $24,000 Ohio Department of Natural Resources Nature Works Grant. He said that, if awarded, the grant will build new steps to the basketball court, and more steps from the basketball court to the tennis courts.

Heydle said that the grant doesn’t get awarded until November, but he is hopeful the park will earn it.