There was a time not that long ago when summers revolved around the community pool. It was a place to meet friends, hang out and simply play outside.

It's a tradition that Manheim Township continues to honor.

"I think (the community pool is) a place for people to go, enjoy the warm weather and enjoy friendly faces," said Alex Gordon, Manheim Township's aquatic and recreation manager. "It's a place for people to come and have fun. We have families who are regulars, and our staff gets to know them. It creates a better atmosphere at the pool. We even have guests that we get to know. It's people from all over the area that are coming to the pools."

The Manheim Township Recreation and Park Planning Department owns and operates two outdoor pools: Overlook Park Pool, 301 Golf Drive, Lancaster, and Skyline Pool, 245 Eden Road, Lancaster. Between them, the pools offer lap swimming, play areas, slides, diving boards and even a zipline feature.

Skyline opened on Memorial Day and closed for the season on Aug. 4. Overlook opened June 8 and will close on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2.

"Each pool is a little different," said Gordon. "We have a lot of the same attractions, but each has different options. We have a lot of different events happening at these pools. We give patrons options to enjoy the pools. Typically, we're pretty busy at both pools. I think there's a lot of people taking advantage of reasonable prices."

This season, the Manheim Township aquatics program sold 690 season passes across both facilities. Each pool also sells daily passes.

Additionally, Township's aquatics program filled 354 spots in its swim lesson program and its master's swim team program included 46 participants. The Overlook youth swim team, made up of 5- to 18-year-olds, featured 146 competitors. The Manheim Township aquatic program also sponsors a water polo club.

"It's a chance for everyone to engage in a healthy activity," said Gordon. "Being around community members is good for your mental well-being. It's a place for people to come and swim and engage. It's a good place just to be healthy."

"I think there's always room for more programs," he added. "The more we can share, the more people can enjoy these incredible facilities."

Skyline and Overlook pools employ about 75 mostly seasonal workers - lifeguards, swim instructors and coaches.

"The Recreation and Park Planning Department as a whole offers tons of programs," said Gordon. "There's a lot of things for residents to do. The pools continually fill that mission. We're trying to provide something for everyone in the community."

The Skyline Pool was purchased by Manheim Township in 1986. The township acquired the Overlook Community Campus in 1999, and the Overlook Park Pool was refurbished in 2008.

"It's really just about finding more ways to engage everyone in the community," said Gordon. "The question becomes, 'How can we utilize this space to better serve the community?' We want people to take advantage of these incredible opportunities. Not everyone has these opportunities. We want residents to take advantage of the community we're building."

For additional information about the Manheim Township Recreation and Park Planning Department, go to http://www.manheimtownship.org/1617/Recreation-Park-Planning.