By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Joplin yielded a bumper crop of swimmers and golfers so far this summer that the parks director says may have been sprouted by economic conditions, warm temperatures and an investment in recreational amenities.

At a time when many other cities across the nation are grappling with budgetary problems that have caused them to close public pools, Joplin is seeing more business than ever before.

Doug Joyce, parks and recreation director, said admission to Joplin’s pool and aquatic parks is up 31 percent over the same time last year; golf revenue jumped about 25 percent.

“I think we might be seeing a lot of people staying home. They’re not traveling as much as they used to,” Joyce said in explaining the increase in business at the pools.

“I think we got more publicity this year and I think we’re seeing more day cares coming to us. Groups from the (Joplin Family) Y and the Girls’ and Boys’ Club are coming more often. And it’s a good value at $2.50 for the aquatic parks at Cunningham and Ewert or 75 cents for the pool at Schifferdecker.”

The City Council also recently agreed to extend the hours the pools are open.

“We’re going to start trying to serve the working public, people who may not get off work until 4 or 5 p.m.,” by keeping Ewert open until 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and Cunningham open until 8 p.m. Saturdays, Joyce said.

Joplin is faring better than cities such as Philadelphia, which planned to close all but 10 city pools this year until businesses and corporations gave the city enough to operate 45 of its 73 pools.

In Alexandria, Ind., children sold cookies and raided their piggy banks while parents and businesses wrote checks to the city to operate city pools this season. Towns such as Johnsville, S.C., and Cranston, R.I., also relied on community help for pool operations.

Meanwhile, rounds of play at the municipal golf course were up for the month of May, from 2,474 last year to 3,184 this year. Revenue created by the course and its various services, including cart rental, is at $210,110, up from $155,140 through May 2008.

“I think we can attribute that to the money the City Council has put into the course, new carts, fixing up cart paths and the new tees,” Joyce said. “I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about them (new tee boxes).”

The council approved about $500,000 in spending to improve the course’s turf, level tee boxes, provide more thorough watering and drainage, fix cart paths and replace the fleet of 60 carts.

“And we’ve had pretty good weather, too,” for outdoor activities, Joyce said. “We can’t take all the credit. The weather, when it’s not rainy and cold, contributes. The golfers get out there.”