For many Austinites, Barton Springs Pool is the heart of this city. It is the oasis amid summer temperatures; it is the altar at which they pray. This pool has become a daily meetup for friend groups; an actual watering hole for our collective. Basically, Barton Springs Pool is the sole reason many Austinites even choose to stay here; although they do have a few other overlooked, year-round swimming options to fill in the occasional gaps.

"[Barton Springs is] absolutely one of the reasons I stay in Austin," says recreational swimmer Eli August. "It's so important for socializing, exercise, time in nature, and an ability to ground in my nervous system. I would likely move if it was permanently unavailable."

When The Springs recently shut down for several weeks because two holes were found in an old pipe below the pool's dam, causing a safety hazard for swimmers, it left many Springs regulars unsure what to do.

"I’m a regular and tried to go on the first day it closed. Huge bummer!" says Springs regular, Ashley Krall. "False Fall was a bit of a respite, but the closure hit even harder when the high temperatures returned. I gave Deep Eddy another shot, but I’m just a Barton Springs person. I feel like my mental and physical well being suffered [while it was closed]."

Luckily, the pipe issue was fixed and the pool (finally) reopened yesterday, September 19. Early morning lap-swimmers were ready as soon as the doors opened at 5 am, kickboards in hand.

"Jumping in yesterday felt even more restorative than I could have imagined. A morning at Barton Springs really does wonders for me," says Krall.

If you weren't one of the first few back to the pool, don't worry: Everything is the same as before it closed. Most repairs aren't something you can see (aside from some sign re-painting), and they were even done with the endangered salamanders in mind.

But these few weeks of a closed Barton Springs and a forever traumatized swim community raise the question, what would happen if the Springs closed for longer? Or even (knock on wood) ... closed forever?

Over these several weeks, Deep Eddy Pool stepped in and accommodated many of the Springs regulars. Deep Eddy even opened at 6 am daily, rather than 8, for the early morning lap-swimming crowd. (Now that The Springs is reopened, Deep Eddy has resumed normal opening hours.)

Other public pools around town have largely closed for the summer already. However, here are a few more year-round swimming options in Austin that, for whatever reason, people simply seem to forget about.

Do note: Most of the below year-round City of Austin pools do charge an entry fee, but only through the end of October. This means, you probably shouldn't bother buying a year-round pool pass at this point, since entry will soon be free to all of these pools.

Bartholomew Pool
1800 51st Street
Bartholomew Pool definitely looks more "pool" than natural body of water surrounded by grass, but hey, it has two really cool water slides. It also includes three pools: a wading pool, a recreational pool, and an activity pool. It has shade structures, picnic table areas, and outdoor shower spots. Plus, this pool is heated to about 84 degrees during the winter, making it a true year-round swim spot.

Bartholomew Pool on East 51st street includes three pools and two waterslides. austintexas.gov

Deep Eddy Pool
401 Deep Eddy Avenue
Just like Barton Springs, Deep Eddy is a naturally spring-fed pool with waters between 68 and 70 degrees year-round. It feels refreshingly cold in the summer, and (kind of) refreshingly warm during our one week of winter every year. The pool itself is includes a 100 foot-lap area and a wading pool with a gentle beach entrance. There are grassy areas on either side, where you can lounge on your blanket soaking up sun or enjoy the shade of a pecan tree.

Deep Eddy Pool offers a nice combo of lap lanes and natural surroundings.deepeddy.org

Springwoods Pool
13320 Lyndhurst Street
Springwoods Pool is located between Highway 183 and North FM 620, and it's the only year-round city-managed swimming pool in far north Austin. It, too, is heated during the winter months, so lap swimmers can keep doing their thing. The pool itself includes six lanes for laps and an open swim area. It is surrounded by shade structures, picnic tables, and outdoor showers. Springwoods was originally built as a neighborhood association pool, so it's tucked away into a residential neighborhood and mostly filled with families.

Springwoods Pool, located in North Austin, is heated during the winter for dedicated lap-swimmers. austintex.com.

Barton Springs Pool
2131 William Barton Drive
Barton Springs; the GOAT. You already know about The Springs, but it is one of the five year-round swimming pools in Austin, so we'll just do a quick recap. It's the best-known swimming spot in Austin, and it's often lauded on national lists as well. Barton Springs is so named because it is completely fed by natural spring water, which is why it maintains its chilly 70 degrees year-round. It's home to fish, plants, ducks, and our favorite salamander friends; it is surrounded by green grassy hills, and as of now, it is reopened for business as usual.

Barton Springs is fed by natural spring water, giving it its consistent 70 degree temperature. austintexas.gov.

Big Stacy Pool
700 E. Live Oak Street
Big Stacy is the only public pool in Austin that is free year-round. It's also heated during the winter by a natural hot water spring below the pool. This is what makes Big Stacy a haven for wintertime lap swimmers, and a favorite for nearby Travis Heights families. It is surrounded by Big Stacy Park, which includes trails and a playground. In fact, we almost feel bad about exposing this little gem.

Note: Big Stacy is closed to the public each Monday and Wednesday from 9 am to 12:15 pm for SwimATX, through the end of the school year.

Big Stacy is the only free pool year-round in Austin. austintexas.gov.

We also have plenty of natural swimming spots in Austin and nearby, but hours, and of course, water levels are somewhat unpredictable. Fashionistas and cocktail lovers might also enjoy the city's many hotel pools with visitor passes, but these are also subject to seasonality.

For more information on public swim spots and splash pads, visit austintexas.gov.