Summer is coming to an end at the Mexico public swimming pool at Fairgrounds Park this weekend.

According to Parks and Recreation Director Chad Shoemaker, the pool will close for the summer at the end of the day on Sunday at 5 p.m.

“We will start to winterize certain things immediately,” Shoemaker told the Park Board at its monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 7.

There will be one last swim but not for humans. Doggy Dive will take place this Thursday, Aug. 17 with the swim being broken up into three sessions. The first session will be for small dogs and will run from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. followed by the first of two sessions for larger dogs. The first session will begin at 6:15 p.m. and run until 7 p.m. and the second session will go from 7:15 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Recreation Director Seth Cooke said the larger dog sessions will be limited to 12 dogs each and the cost is $5 per dog. Each dog will only be allowed to participate in one session. Cooke said the bigger dogs were split up to better manage the swim after some complaints last year.

“Last year we had a good turnout but there were a couple of bigger dogs that weren’t under complete control of their owners,” Cooke said. “We’re going to try and avoid having too many in there at one time.”

The swim will also be limited to dogs only. Last year some were allowed to wade into the water with their dogs but not this year.

“We had some families that kind of let their kids run around and jump in the pool wherever they wanted,” Cooke said. “All humans out completely.”

The splash pad will remain open through the end of September. Shoemaker said they ran into problems last year when they left it open into the month of October.

“We tried to run a little further into October last year than we probably should have,” Shoemaker said. “We ran into a freeze warning so it will probably close a little sooner.”

Shoemaker said closing sooner will probably upset a few people but Mother Nature does what she wants and they have to live by that.

“No matter when we close it or open it we’re going to have freezing days and we’re going to have warm days,” Shoemaker said. “We’re just going to find a date that has little risk.”

Other work is starting or will be starting at Fairgrounds Park soon. Work on the horseshoe pits will be underway soon and lighting for the pickleball courts is starting to get some traction. Shoemaker said he had a meeting scheduled with folks who are fundraising for the lights.

“They’re chomping at the bit to get this done,” Shoemaker said. “They’re getting out there hitting the pavement coming up with dollars.”