There are many great secrets in Ann Arbor. And there are well known, not so secret things about Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is clearly well known but how many knew about the Townie Party that took place for years, usually held at the Nectarine until the last couple of years when it became what it is today? Selma Cafe, over by Eberwhite was somewhat of a secret but is now widely attended by many. There are many such gems in Ann Arbor. Another great gem is our public pools or neighborhood pools as some call them.

One of the best-kept secrets or maybe deals is the public pool pass. For a small amount every year (slightly more for those who don't live in the City of Ann Arbor), one can get a membership that allows you to go to any of the city's three outdoor pools: Fuller, Buhr or Veterans. For just over $200 you and up to five family members can enjoy pools that have beautiful facilities.

A pass is the way to go. They also offer scholarships through the City of Ann Arbor for families that may qualify. The beauty of a pass is that you can go to the pool for 15 minutes and just cool down and not worry that you just spent $18.50 to get the family in. If you go on vacation, you haven't invested a ton of money so that you might feel like you are wasting anything. And the passes are even less expensive if you buy before Memorial Day.

So why now, an article about the neighborhood pools? Because the summer is far from over and the pools now offer a half-price pass for these last weeks of the summer. And even if you aren't interested in purchasing the pass for the rest of the summer, think about it for next summer. The swim team starts the Monday after school is out and it is open to everyone. Many come in with some ability but leave as pretty competent swimmers.

At Buhr Pool, one of the highlights is the zero-grade tots pool. It has fountains and shallow areas for the wee ones. Buhr also offers shaded areas, tents, picnic areas, lanes for swimming and a diving well. They also have a neighborhood swim team, the Buhr Sharks.

Fuller Pool is known for its 50 meter lanes in addition to shaded areas. There is also an awesome climbing play structure and picnic areas. Fuller also has a water slide that is separate from the pool. This is a favorite for both young and old.

The pool I am most familiar with is Veterans or Vets Pool. In addition to a diving well and 25 meter lanes for swimming, it has a great slide that dumps one into the pool itself. There is also a zero-degree entry where tots and others play. This area also has fountains, something my kids call the "mushroom" where water comes cascading down over their heads and other water sprinklers. Vets also offers a grassy area, picnic tables and new chaise lounges. Oh, and tennis courts too.

Vets also has a swim team called the Vets Dolphins. The team along with others in Washtenaw County just participated in WISC (The Washtenaw Interclub Swim Championships). The swim team has been coached by Nina Reynolds now for 4 years. Nina, along with her brother, Evan, and Emily Byle lead a group of more than 100 neighborhood kids in swim practices each morning leading up to WISC. Sadly, this was Nina's last year as she goes on to pursue her graduate degree from Grand Valley State University. Evan Reynolds, soon to be a sophomore at Michigan State, will be taking over next year.

The neighborhood pools need the support of the community. If we don't use them, we will lose them. They offer great facilities and great hours. For the first time, Fuller opened before Memorial Day. Another wonderful aspect of the neighborhood pool is that the people there really reflect the area. It is an incredibly diverse group at any given time. The swim team itself is a microcosm of the larger group.

As we head into the end of this rather odd summer, weather wise at least, consider a pass for the last days of summer. If weather.com holds true, it is going to be in the 80s all of this week and next. The half-priced season pass is a great deal for you and your family. It is also a fabulous way to support our community. It is hard for me to imagine our community without these valuable resources.

Theresa Bassett is a parent to six children. Passions include kids, adoption, transracial and alternative families. Reach her at theresabassett1@hotmail.com