DIVING INTO SUMMER SWEATY VALLEY RESIDENTS HOT TO TAKE POOL PLUNGE.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS - It was 102 degrees and 4-year-old Ian Hanley peered through a chain-link divide between a summer inferno and aquatic relief.

Despite the cool waters on the other side of the fence, Ian and thousands of other children must endure the wait until Saturday for that divine rite of summer: the opening of Los Angeles' public swimming pools.

``Isn't it horrible?'' asked Raina Hanley, Ian's mom, as the Woodland Hills Rec Center pool gurgled and spat under a last-minute spritzing by lifeguards during this week's heat wave.

``He's been coming to camp every day and asking, 'When's the pool going to open?' He's all ready.''

So is the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, which has scoured, cleaned and repaired about 50 pools for an anticipated 500,000 visitors this summer.

Mayor Richard Riordan, in what could be his last dive as the city's top dog, will join park officials for a preliminary opening-day dip Friday at Yosemite Recreation Center pool in Eagle Rock.

But the big day is Saturday, when thousands of visitors, slathered with suntan lotion, dip their toes into the chlorinated mix and hundreds of buff and beautiful lifeguards report for work.

``We've been opening pools for 80 years,'' said parks Aquatics Director Richard Godino, an L.A. lifeguard for 34 of them. ``The opening of the pools is the big event every summer.

``It's for the kids; it's for everybody,'' he said. ``It's going to be a wonderful day.''

The 36 summer pools stay open through Labor Day - 12 in the San Fernando Valley - with some pools extended two weeks. A dozen pools in Greater Los Angeles remain open year-round. Pools open at midmorning and close in the early evening.

A free program is credited with boosting attendance 60 percent since it allows children under 17, seniors 65 and older and disabled veterans in the water for free.

Adults from 18 to 64 pay $1.25 for a day at the pool.

In the San Fernando Valley, the Sepulveda Rec Center pool will open after five years of repairs.

Because of leaks, the Northridge Rec Center pool will close for repairs and funding is sought for renovation.

The Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Rec Center Pool, closed for a retrofit, will reopen this fall as a year-round facility. The Granada Hills Rec Center pool is also slated to open full time next year. Opening of the Hansen Dam Swim Lake, delayed by deck leaks and filtration repairs, is scheduled for sometime next week.

For further information about L.A. pools, visit www.laparks.org.

The opening of the pools is good news to residents who have been suffering through triple-digit temperatures this week leading into the first official day of summer today.

Temperatures, which broke 100 degrees in some parts of the Valley earlier this week, crested at 91 Wednesday in Van Nuys, 89 in Burbank and 93 in Woodland Hills and Northridge.

``It has cooled off somewhat,'' said John Gorman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. ``We're getting more of a marine influence, but it still should be in the mid-80s, lower 90s in the valleys Friday, which is warm, but not unusual for this time of year.''

In other words, perfect poolside conditions.

In Woodland Hills, according to lifeguard Audrey Shvetsov, 20, people have shown up every day this week with towels in hand, saying, ``Is it hot enough?''

``It's almost the hottest day of the month,'' said Hanna Bennett, 10, of Woodland Hills who'd come for a swim but was turned away this week.

``It's summer. And me and my friends are here - we thought the pool was open. It's nice and cool, with fresh chlorine. It's very popular.''

Chimed in Tyler Morley, 10: ``It's too hot. It's so hot out here lately - and I don't have a pool at home.''

PROVIDING COOL RELIEF

The Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department will open 36 swimming pools citywide at noon Saturday. Following is a list of San Fernando Valley locations:

--Fernangeles Rec Center, 8851 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Sun Valley

--Granada Hills Rec Center, 16730 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills

--Lanark Rec Center, 21817 Strathern St., Canoga Park

--North Hollywood Rec Center, 5301 Tujunga Ave., North Hollywood

--Reseda Rec Center, 18411 Victory Blvd., Reseda

--Ritchie Valens Rec Center, 10731 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima

--Sepulveda Rec Center, 8737 Kester Ave., Panorama City

--Sun Valley Rec Center, 8123 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley

--Sylmar Rec Center, 13109 Borden Ave., Sylmar

--Valley Plaza Rec Center, 6715 Laurelgrove Ave., North Hollywood

--Verdugo Hills Rec Center, 10654 Irma Ave., Tujunga

--Woodland Hills Rec Center, 5858 Shoup Ave., Woodland Hills

Most pools operate midmorning to early evening. Buddy and Bubbles, the two parks aquatics department octopus mascots, will appear at noon Saturday at the Sun Valley Rec Center. The Northridge and Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks rec center pools have both been closed for repair or conversion into year-round pools. The department offers year-round Valley pools at:

--Cleveland High School, 8120 Vanalden Ave., Reseda

--Hubert Humphrey Rec Center, 12560 Filmore St., Pacoima

--Hansen Dam Swim Lake, 11798 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace, scheduled to open late next week

For water activities in the San Fernando Valley that do not include swimming, the Recreation and Parks Department offers the following facilities:

--Balboa Lake, 6300 Balboa Blvd., Van Nuys (paddle boats, small crafts)

--Hansen Dam Lake, 11798 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace (sailing, fishing, small crafts)

--Reseda Park Lake, 18411 Victory Blvd., Reseda

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) Granada Hills Rec Center lifeguard Jeff Dingman uses a special vacuum Wednesday to clean the pool for Saturday's opening.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box: PROVIDING COOL RELIEF (see text)