Cody Slifer, 12, spins for a hook shot during a game of pick-up water basketball Saturday, May 23, 2009 on opening day of the Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center. Clockwise from left are Bruce Whiteman, 11, Alex Knight, 13, Marquez White, 13, Joe Ryan, and at bottom right is Terrell Davis, 13.

Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center’s summer season opened Saturday with a splash by Kardal Hart.

The ambitious 12-year-old was the first one this season to test out both of the pool’s slides and the diving board.

And he has no intention of slowing down. He has plans on being at the public swimming pool every day this summer.

“I’m from California, so I was born a water boy,” Hart said.

Hart was with a group of boys taking turns jumping off the diving board on the first day the pool at 727 Ky. opened for the summer.

A pool regular for about a decade, 58-year-old Judy Wiglesworth seemed just as excited as Hart.

Wiglesworth, who is part of group known as the “pool pals,” spends her days lying out in the sun and then cooling off under the pool’s giant mushroom or by doing the back float.

“I try to come here every day. I love it. And I couldn’t wait. It was a long winter,” Wiglesworth said.

Even the lifeguards welcomed the day. Kevin Workman, a 19-year-old who has worked four summers at the pool, said it was nice to see the sun after spending the winter lifeguarding indoors.

“I’ll work on my tan now,” he said.

Mom Maria Estelle made the trip from Eudora, bringing her four children and niece with her.

“Sure I’m excited because they need something to do,” she said.

The opening day was greeted with prefect pool conditions, with temperatures reaching into the 80s on Saturday.

Aquatics supervisor Lori Madaus expected a crowd of about 500 for the day, a respectable number but nothing compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 that show up during the hottest days of the summer.

The center will be open seven days a week, from 1 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., throughout the summer.

Admission rates are unchanged from last year. Children 4 to 17 years old can enter for $3; people 60 and older also are charged $3; and adult admission is $4.

Several discounted passes are available. A 30-day pass is available for $20 per person, and a discount punch card that has $36 worth of admission on it is available for $30.