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Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Local - WADING POOLS Photo of a sign on the side of the Happyland wading pool office showing the short operating hours just a few days before it closes in the middle of August. WADING POOLS: The city has announced that it will be closing 30 of its wading pools for the season by Aug. 16. Community advocates say this move hurts low-income families who don't have many options to stay cool for the summer. They also say it shows where the city has its priorities, with more spending going to other facilities. This comes after the Happyland pool was closed, despite community members raising more than $80,000 to keep it open. The city pins the early closures on staffing struggles and a drop in demand at the end of summer. Reporter : Matt Aug 9th, 2024