The City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department will open its two outdoor public pools for the season this Memorial Day weekend. Both the Ed Cothren Pool, 1737 Reynolds St., and Inskip Pool, 4204 Bruhin Road, will welcome visitors starting 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2022.

However, after refreshing sun-soaked Memorial Day weekend crowds, Inskip Pool will then close temporarily for four weekdays – Tuesday, May 31, through Friday, June 3, 2022 – to accommodate training and certification of new lifeguards and pool staff. 

Inskip Pool will reopen permanently for the summer on Saturday, June 4, 2022.

Ed Cothren Pool will be closed Tuesday, May 31, and Wednesday, June 1, 2022, for a small repair.

Looking for summer work? It’s not too late to apply to be a lifeguard. Pay starts at $9.50 an hour, hours are flexible – and teens can learn life-saving skills and be a part of a team. To apply, email [email protected] or call 865-300-4624 by Friday, May 27, 2022.

Also: Want to learn how to swim? Now is the time to sign up! Classes are offered in June and July at Inskip Pool. Click here for more details on swimming lessons.

Meanwhile, here are the City of Knoxville pool basics:

• Pool hours generally are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting.

• Admission is $4 per person per visit at Inskip Pool, $3 per person per visit at Ed Cothren Pool. Splash Passes offering discounted rates are available for frequent visitors.

• Groups of 10 or more should call ahead, and discounts are available for large groups. 

• Ed Cothren Pool is named after the Knoxville College graduate and 1st Lieutenant who was the first African-American soldier from Knoxville to die fighting in World War II.

• Ed Cothren Pool is a 275,000-gallon pool with one diving board, an accessible ramp and a baby pool. The surrounding Malcolm-Martin Park area features a baseball field, a basketball court, a concession stand, two playgrounds, three shelters and the 0.3-mile Malcolm-Martin Greenway loop.

• Inskip Pool is a 285,000-gallon pool with two low dives, a high dive, a wading pool and three covered pavilions. The Inskip park area also features a sand volleyball court, a concession stand, a playground, three tennis courts, a 0.3-mile walking loop, a nine-hole youth disc golf course and a large bi-level deck with picnic tables and benches.

For more information on the City’s outdoor pools and programming, visit www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/Aquatics. Or call Inskip Pool at 865-687-9919 and Ed Cothren Pool at 865-544-7840. (These numbers may also be called for pool closings related to weather.)