Rehm Pool opened just in time on Saturday—before record-setting temperatures heated up the area for two days in a row.
The pool, 515 Garfield St., reached its 775-person at capacity on Sunday, when a temperature of 97 degrees was recorded at O’Hare Airport. That broke the previous record for the date of 94 degrees set in 1911, according to the National Weather Service. With the pool packed, staff only let in new visitors as others left.
Memorial Day brought 95-degree record heat to the area, up from 93 degrees set in 1977. Residents lined up for a half block waiting to get into the pool, which reached capacity again.
Bill Hamilton, assistant superintendent of revenue facilities for the Park District of Oak Park, said this was the warmest opening weekend he could remember in the last eight or so years.
“Typically you don’t see these kind of crowds until you pass that 90, 92 mark,” he said.
The smaller pool at Ridgeland Common is scheduled to open this Saturday.
