It was a sure sign of summer with the opening of the Budlong Pool this past Monday. Mayor Allan Fung and Parks and Recreation Director Tony Liberatore were on hand on a sunny, hot and steamy afternoon to greet the first swimmers to come enjoy the fresh water of the pool.

It was a close call, though. Liberatore said that the crew went to turn on the filtration system Thursday when the motor caught fire. It was a race against time to find a new motor for the Monday opening, but Parks and Recreation and Building Maintenance got the job done.

“We like to go three, four days of having this run to clear it before we open up,” Liberatore said. “We were fortunate, we found a motor, we got that pulled out and the boys came in Saturday from building maintenance and got it hooked up.”

He went out of his way to thank Will Aiken, Louie Marocco and Ken Dailey, as well as Building Maintenance Manager Bob DeCosta for their help in the process.

Mayor Fung, though disappointed he couldn’t take a dip himself on the nearly 80-degree afternoon, was pleased to see the pool open on time as well.

“It means a lot,” Mayor Fung said of the importance of the pool to the community. “It’s not only an opportunity for the kids, but for families to come together, and it preserves an everlasting legacy for many families that are not only in Cranston but even outside of Cranston. It provides much needed relief during the summer. It’s a lot of fun, it’s a safe environment. It continues that trend of being one of the largest outdoor pools in the country.”

The Budlong Pool has provided generations of Cranstonians with fond memories for decades. The pool has changed over the years, with shorter hours and no diving boards or slide, which many Cranston adults can recall. Yet the summer days of “hanging out” at the pool are far from over. It has always been a place to meet up with friends and cool off from the summer heat.

The city staffs maintain the pool, which is one of the largest outdoor swimming pools in the country with depths measuring from two to nine feet and is filled with approximately 1,100,000 gallons of water. Pool hours are noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Seasonal Pool Passes can be bought at the pool house during regular pool hours. The pool will close for the season on Aug. 18.

At the Budlong Pool the emphasis is on safety in the crystal-clear pool and all lifeguards have been trained and certified and no corner of the pool is out of their sight. A total of 22 lifeguards are on staff on a rotating schedule.

Pool rates for Cranston residents are $50 for a Family Season Pass; $25 for an Individual Season Pass; $25 (Age 16); $20 for a Senior Season Pass (Age 55) and $3 for a Day Pass. The Budlong Pool will be closed July 4.

For additional information on the pool or swim lessons, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 780-6169 or visit its page on the city’s website, www.cranstonri.com. During the months of July and Aug., you may contact the staff at the pool directly during its normal hours at 383-3105.