By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published May 27, 2021 at 3:02 PM

After a waterless year due to the pandemic, Milwaukee County's Cool Waters Aquatic Park in Greenfield Park, 2028 S. 124th St., is becoming the first County aquatic facility to open since 2019.

It will open Saturday, May 29, in time for Memorial Day Weekend, Milwaukee County Parks announced Thursday.

Two swim sessions will be held each day on weekends – and Memorial Day – from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30-5 p.m., with weekdays added beginning June 14.

The park's hours are weather-dependent.

Admission is $5 per session, but children 2 and under are admitted free.

In order to stay within capacity limits, advance reservations are required for each session during the Memorial Day weekend.

"After such a tough summer last year, when we weren't able to open any of our pools, we're really excited to be opening Cool Waters this weekend," said Parks Director Guy Smith.

"Our entire parks team is looking forward to seeing families back in the water park, and we'll be opening more pools in June, too."

Other than the three pools slated to open in a couple weeks – Schulz Aquatic Park in Lincoln Park and Sheridan and Wilson Park – the remaining Milwaukee County Parks pools and water parks will remain closed this summer, due to lifeguard shortages.

Reservations for Cool Waters can be made up to a week in advance at MKEswim.com. Admission is collected at the park entrance. Limited walk-up entry will be allowed based on capacity limits.

Masks required for unvaccinated individuals.

Neighborhood splash pads and wading pools will begin opening in a couple weeks. Check countyparks.com for schedules.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.