Lawrence Aquatic Center lifeguard Sarah Stacy directs traffic on a busy Tuesday afternoon. Business at the pool has been good for the summer.

The city’s six month financial report showed some good news for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Hot weather is helping both the city’s indoor and outdoor aquatic centers. Ed Mullins, the city’s director of finances, said the outdoor pool, 727 Ky., has already taken in more than it did in all of 2004. The pool has collected $121,000 in fees, up from just under $120,000 for all of 2004. Mullins said he expected the pool to collect another $30,000 before it closes Sept. 5.

The reason for the increase is easy to understand, said Ernie Shaw, the city’s recreation and operations superintendent.

“When the temperatures get into the 90s, the pool is a real popular place to find some relief from the heat,” Shaw said.

But revenues at the indoor pool also are up $14,000 from the same period a year ago. Shaw said the heat also is likely to thank for that increase. He said the indoor pool was becoming more popular with families with young children who don’t want to be out in the sun. The smaller crowds at the facility, 4706 Overland Drive, also create an easier environment for children to learn to swim.

• 6News video: Numbers up at pool, down at golf course
• City seeks to offset below-par numbers

In other news from the city’s six month financial report:

¢ Sales tax collections are up $330,000 from the first six months of 2004. Sales tax collections totaled $10.2 million for the first half of the year.

¢ Property tax collections are up $735,000 in the first half of the year, the result largely of a 6.5 percent increase in the community’s assessed valuation.

¢ The amount of money collected in fares from the city’s public transportation system continues to increase slightly. Lawrence Transit System collected $76,651 in fares, up from $72,536 during the same period a year ago.