By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
It's that time of year to take your dog for a dip in Great Bend’s swimming pool. The annual “Bark at the Waterpark” is taking place Saturday, Aug. 21 at the Wetlands Waterpark.
Megan Hammeke, Great Bend Rec’s Aquatics Director, said the event is very popular.
“It’s always a great time with lots of dogs, all sizes,” Hammeke recounted. “We get lots of requests of ‘Are we going to have the dog event, when will it be.’ So people just really look forward to that one.”
The cost is $5 per dog. Humans get in free. The money that is raised will be used at the Great Bend Dog Park at Veterans Park to restock bags and make any needed improvements.
Hammeke said it has been a good summer at the swimming pool. Unlike many other communities, Great Bend did not see a shortage of qualified lifeguards.
“We closed on Sunday the 15th which was a good day to choose because a bunch of them, our college kids all head back,” Hammeke noted. “Those that go to Barton start school back this week. And a lot of them going to KU, K-State, Fort Hays, they all start next Monday. Plus our high school kids are all back to school this week. So it worked out that we were able to make it to our closing day with a good amount of staff.”
There was only one day during the summer when the pool couldn’t open on time because of the weather.