C'MON IN... THE WATER'S FINE JUMP RIGHT IN! COMMUNITY POOLS SPLASH ONTO THE SUMMER SCENE.

Byline: MARK KELLAM Valley News Writer

Whether it's jumping off a diving board or zooming down a water slide, area community pools are cool spots for Valley residents, particularly children, looking to escape the scorching summer heat.

In the Valley, there are 11 seasonal pools and four year-round aquatic facilities.

The facilities with slides are Hansen Dam, Hubert Humphrey, Sun Valley and Sepulveda, said Mary Bingham, principal recreation supervisor of citywide aquatics for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.

Israel Sanchez, 9, was among dozens of young swimmers gliding down the slide at Hubert Humphrey Pool in Pacoima recently. ``I like it because you get to go down fast,'' he said with a big smile moments after shooting into the water at the bottom of the slide.

The North Hollywood and Panorama City pools have splash areas, which have features that spray water onto delighted youngsters. The playful splash features include dragons, snakes and trees.

Hubert Humphrey and Granada Hills pools have diving boards, she added.

Community pools are busy places in the summer, Bingham said. There were approximately 853,000 visits to pools citywide last year, she added.

Mai Traore of Winnetka was with her two daughters, Jeny and Cinny, at the Reseda Pool on a particularly sweltering afternoon recently. ``We like to come here because it's very hot,'' she said. ``There's nothing else to do at home but watch TV, and I don't like that. It's good to be outside.''

This year, some pools in the Valley will remain open past Labor Day as part of a program with Kaiser Permanente called Operation Splash.

The seasonal pools that will remain open until Sept. 17 are Granada Hills, Sun Valley, Reseda and Valley Plaza in North Hollywood, Bingham said.

Operation Splash provides children and adults with free swim lessons. Residents who register for lessons will receive a free duffle bag with a towel, swimsuit, goggles and sunblock, Bingham said.

While they're mastering a cannonball or forward flip or just lounging in the shallow end, swimmers must heed several rules enforced at all community pools, Bingham said.

Swimmers cannot wear T-shirts or cut-offs. They must wear swimsuits or trunks.

Children under 7 years old must have one-on-one supervision by an adult, and the adult must be within an arm's length of the child at all times.

Children under 4 must wear swim diapers. All children must be potty- trained to swim in the pool.

No running on the deck.

On the diving board, swimmers must jump off the front of the board. They cannot jump off the side.

Pools can be expensive to maintain, Bingham said. Seasonal pools cost between $50,000 and $60,000 a year to operate, while year-round pools cost about twice as much, she said. Hansen Dam is much more expensive than all the other aquatic facilities to operate because its swimming pool is so large, it has two slides and there's a recreational lake, she added.

Late June, July and early August are the busy times at the pools, Bingham said. After that, families often start taking vacations before the beginning of the traditional school year.

Lake Balboa Park (also called Anthony C. Beilenson Park) is a very popular recreation spot for residents throughout the year. Its picturesque lake, picnic tables and playground equipment are some of the reasons it's so popular, not to mention there's pedal boats and kayaks for rent.

Bingham said between 2,000 and 3,000 people pass through the park each weekend.

For the eighth straight year, the free swim program makes it possible for children 17 and younger, seniors 65 and older and people with disabilities to swim for free at all city pools.

All residents with a city library card can swim

for free, thanks to an initiative by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The charge for patrons 18 to 64 years old without library cards is $1.50 per swimming session.

For more information about any city pool,

call [phone]. For information on El Cariso County pool in Sylmar, call [phone].

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6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Granada Hills pool is a popular place on hot summer days.

(2 -- color) The pool at Hansen Dam in Lake View Terrace has two slides as well as a recreational area for small watercraft.

(3 -- color) Mai Traore of Winnetka plays in the water at the Reseda pool with her daughters, Jeny, 3, and Cinny, 5.

(4 -- color) Anthony Martin, 12, Granada Hills, jumps from the platform diving board at the Granada Hills pool.

Mark Kellam/Valley News

(5 -- color) Joann Edwards takes her sons Tiger Matthews and Jeffrey Matthews and their friend Joseph Gonzales out on a pedal boat at Lake Balboa Park.

Emily Grilly/Special to the Valley News

(6 -- color) Esteban Tapia jumps into the North Hollywood pool.

Juan Carlos Chan/Special to the Valley News