Children edge into the chilly pool water Saturday, May 24, 2008 during the opening day of the Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Kentucky Street.

Swimmers react to the chilly pool water Saturday, May 24, 2008 during the opening day of the Outdoor Aquatic Center.

Amelia Carttar, 8, reacts to the chilly pool water Saturday during the opening day at the Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Ky. In the background, her father, David Carttar, gets a chuckle out of her reaction while holding his other daughter, Gabriela Carttar, 4.

Early Saturday, clouds and cool temperatures couldn’t stop a group of young girls from showing off their brand new swimsuits at the opening of the outdoor city pool Saturday.

“We went swimsuit shopping yesterday to prepare,” said Mackenzie Rivera, 13, who stood first in a short line of eager swimmers outside the Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Ky.

Questionable weather, even early afternoon lightning had Mackenzie and her friends worried the pool wouldn’t open.

“It was like thundering and stuff and we were hoping it would stop so we could come swimming,” Mackenzie said. “We’ve been waiting for it all week.”

All Mackenzie and her friends had to do was wait for a few more hours to pass, along with the clouds, to make it feel more like summer.

“It’s still kind of cold, but now that the sun’s out, it’s warming up the water,” she said.

David Carttar, of Lawrence, and his family, a group of six youngsters, experienced the chilly water in the early afternoon. Shrieks of “It’s cold!” and chattering teeth made the pool look less inviting early in the day.

Carttar said because of the thunderstorms they “were thinking of going to the Indoor Aquatic Center.”

Indoor swimming just wouldn’t cut it for his niece, Maggie Carttar, 10.

“In the indoor pool it feels so confined, and there is an echo,” she said. “I like this pool so much better.”

Besides, they had a family tradition to continue: swimming at the outdoor pool the first day it opens. This year’s tradition was met with a price increase, but David Carttar said he was understanding of the change and willing to pay for the city’s amenities, such as the pool.

By 4 p.m., about 50 people were enjoying the sun’s rays in the water.

“We’re glad that the sun came out,” said Jaime Meyers, head lifeguard. Meyers said she was looking forward to higher temperatures in the next few weeks.

“It makes the day go faster,” she said. “We’re ready to be busy.”