This week, during the Mower County Fair, the pool will not be open for evening swim on Wednesday or Thursday evening.

The pool open swim hours this week will be1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday evening; 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday.

The adult lap swim will be held 12 to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Our season membership is $30 per person, ages 2 and under are free. The daily admission is $3 in the afternoon and $2 for the three evening swims.

A reminder to following the signage regarding the lockers that are now available on the pool deck for your convenience. We no longer staff the locker room with an attendant. There are lockers with locks, free of charge. We also have lockers that you can use with your own lock, free of charge.

 Austin Youth Football

Austin Youth Football has started their registration which runs through Aug. 19. Forms are at our office and South Central Athlete. This league is for those in fifth and sixith grade starting this September. Registration fee is $35 per family.

 Nature center

The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Summer Special events in the Ruby Rupner Auditorium schedules include:

•Thursday, Aug. 25: Singer-songwriter Tom Pease (9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.)

The nature center rents canoes and kayaks Monday through Saturday for use on Dobbins Creek to East Side Lake or on the pond at the center.

Rentals will run through Sept. 24 on a first-come, first served basis —no reservations. You must be 16 and older to rent the canoes and kayaks. The cost is $10 for up to three hours or purchase a punch card for $25 and receive five rentals for half the cost.

Are you looking for a place to rent this fall for a special occasion?

Check availability of the Ruby Rupner Auditorium by calling the nature center at 507-437-7519. The rental fee is $41 per hour between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. with a $100 deposit. There is a sound system available for a $25 additional fee. There is no smoking or alcohol permitted in the Nature Center. The log cabin is also available for your use with the auditorium rental.

 Skate event

There will be an event at the skate park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14. Join skaters for the first Enki’s Early Grab Round-Up. There will be skating contests and prize giveaways, safety helmet is required. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards restoration and improvements for the park and addiction recovery resources. They will be promoting a sober and safe environment for our youth.

 Fall softball league

We will be offering a fall softball league for men and co-ed. Team registration deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 17. That evening, beginning at 5:30 p.m., there will be a mandatory managers meeting for both leagues in the Park, Recreation and Forestry office. League play will start the next week: Aug. 23 for co-ed and Aug. 24 for men’s.

Team entry fee for co-ed is $151 plus the $8 player fee per person and will play six weeks. Men’s league will be a double-header league. Team entry fee is $252 and will also play for six weeks.

 Fall, winter programs

Watch for information on our youth fall and winter programs. September our 3-on-3 hockey league and the learn to play hockey will start up at Riverside Arena. We will offer a parent and child volleyball camp for those in grades second to fourth. Our youth basketball starts in October for those in grades kindergarten through sixth grade and wrestling starts in November for those pre kindergarten to sixth grade.

January you can look for a youth baseball dome league for those age 7 to 12, youth archery league ages 9 to 18 and the Austin Area Volleyball Club for U12, U14 and U16.

 Viewing the stars

The next viewing at the Sola Fide Observatory will be held at 9 p.m. on Aug. 13 and again on Aug. 27.

The Sola Fide Observatory is open to the public on specified Saturdays throughout the year. On these select evenings, Keith Snyder and other volunteers staff the observatory to assist the public in viewing the heavenly bodies.

Are the stars your passion and interested in being a volunteer? Contact Keith Snyder at 507-440-1244 or the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center at 507-437-7519.