Ask Axios: What's happening with Des Moines' pool attendance?

State of play: As of a week ago, overall attendance at DSM's pools and aquatic centers for the month was up nearly 8.5% compared to last year, Ally McLean, a Parks and Recreation spokesperson, tells Axios.

• There were 32,681 admissions through July 24 this year compared with 30,121 in the same period last year.

Context: Hutchings' concern arises partly from a proposal earlier this year by DSM City Manager Scott Sanders to close Birdland Pool because of low attendance and high repair costs.

• Sanders withdrew the plan after thousands signed a petition against the closure.

Flashback: In 2022, a DSM parks board member called on his department to address staff shortages that led to frequent pool closures across the city, describing the issue as a public health crisis and citing studies that demonstrate their benefits.

• DSM took action, and attendance increased by nearly 50% the following season.

The latest: Metro cities shut down or reduced hours at spraygrounds last month due to a crisis in removing enough nitrates to meet drinking water demands.

• Those have since been restored.

The bottom line: DSM has some wavy pool history.

What we're watching: City budgets are expected to remain tight for the foreseeable future, with upcoming recommendations arriving early next year.