Ginny DeLuca, of St. Paul, and her son Joe, 2½, hang out with Gertie the Goldfish in the new children's activity pool at Highland Park Aquatic Center. The new kids area is larger than the old wading pool it replaced and includes water jets, slides, basketball hoops and huge shade umbrellas. (JOHN DOMAN, Pioneer Press)

The bigger the bounce, the better the ride.

At least, that was true for my 5-year-old son, who was taking his sixth trip down a water slide with bumps that shot him into knee-high water with a jarring splash.

He laughed. I winced.

"He's trying the 'Bum Buster,' " said a mom in a bathing suit.

The Highland Park Aquatic Center had been open only two hours, and already the features were attracting nicknames. Not to mention rave reviews. More than 1,500 people turned out Wednesday for the reopening of St. Paul's newly remodeled public pool in Highland Park. It was three times the normal summer opening-day attendance. (The official celebration is today.)

The lap pool remains untouched, to the pleasure of serious swimmers. But the old rectangular wading pool has been replaced by a much larger children's pool packed with kid activities. There is also a new "splash pad" sprinkler area with a whale skeleton perfect for toddlers, and the diving pool has been upgraded with slides and a climbing wall for older children.

We spread our towels under one of the oversized umbrellas that dot the periphery of the children's pool. They cast shade onto the concrete deck as well as over some of the water. (As a family that burns easily, we love the added shade.)

The pool has three circular zones that gradually increase in depth to about 2 feet. The toddler and I started at the zero-depth end, where even babies can crawl in and out.

My two sons, ages 5 and 7, first

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headed for a large statue of Gertie the Goldfish that shoots water out of its blowhole when you block jets around the base with your hands or feet. Other jets around the pool provide the same fun.

A turtle "umbrella" on a pole rains down water. There is a slide perfect for toddlers and preschoolers and another bank of slides for older kids flanked by life-sized spraying dolphins.

My boys ended up in the deepest end, where a bunch of kids were throwing balls into three basketball hoops on

The triple water slide at the new Highland Park Aquatic Center, nicknamed the "Bum Buster," can send you down three ways: slow, fast or bump bump bump. (JOHN DOMAN, Pioneer Press)
a center pole.

Jennifer Frost-Rosendale of St. Paul was sitting under a blue-and-white-striped umbrella flipping through a glossy Coastal Living magazine while her daughter Samantha, nearly 7, scooted through the water on her hands.

"She was too big for the wading pool and not a strong enough swimmer for the lap pool," said Frost, from the comfort of her lawn chair. "So, this is perfection."

Upper elementary and junior-high school kids probably will gravitate toward the diving pool. When I wandered over, there was a line for the climbing wall, where two gangly boys clung to handgrips before toppling backward with shrieks into the water.

"It's fun and it's challenging, too," said a dripping Michael Pauletti, a 10-year-old from Roseville, who was there with his cousin, Nicholas Reis of St. Paul. They had already climbed the wall several times.

"The sides are easier," Reis said.

"No, the middle is easier," Pauletti countered. "Look, it has more grips."

They also loved the double tube slide. They loved the diving boards. The only thing they didn't like was that the high dive had been removed to make way for the slide.

"And I was going to do a flip off that today," Pauletti said.

That brings us to a few of the things people do not like about the new aquatic center.

Some grumbled it's too expensive. We dropped $26.50 for three kids and two adults. Yeah, $4.50 per child and $6.50 per adult is low compared with suburban water parks. But it's steep

Gabe Dreisdach, 11, of St. Paul tries out the new splash pad where sprinkers squirt water from a huge whale skeleton. (JOHN DOMAN, Pioneer Press)
enough for us; even though we had fun, we won't be coming back more than once or twice this summer. The price makes more sense if you plan to spend a big part of the day there, but our toddler maxes out at two hours.

And no one I talked to liked the change in policy that prohibits outside food. A lot of families weren't aware of the rule and were breaking out granola bars and grapes. A new concession stand serves hot dogs ($2.50), nachos ($3.50), minidoughnuts ($3.50), candy and other fast foods. I'd like healthier and less expensive options. Next time, we'll bring our own snack and eat outside the gates.

Some people were irked the shaded pavilions with picnic tables had to be rented (for $55). Could a couple of them be opened for anyone to use free of charge?

Still, the water park is a tremendous addition to St. Paul, which hasn't seen real improvements to its public pools in three decades.

"This is fabulous," said Julie Schulz of St. Paul, who was going to take her sons, ages 12 and 6, to Cascade Bay Waterpark in Eagan but decided, at the last minute, to check out Highland. "What amazes me is that it looks like it has always been here."

Maja Beckstrom can be reached at mbeckstrom@pioneerpress. com or 651-228-5295.

FAMILY OUTINGS THE SCOOP

What: Highland Park Aquatic Center

Where: 1840 Edgcumbe Road (near Montreal Avenue)

Information: 651-695-3773 or www.stpaul.gov

Hours: Open swim from noon to 5 p.m. daily and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. weekdays through the summer

Cost: Children (12 and younger), $4.50; teens and adults, $6.50; seniors (62 and retired), $6; lap swim only, $5

Crowd pleaser: Climbing wall in diving pool

Avoid: Bringing in food. It's no longer allowed unless purchased from the concession stand.

Tip: Buy 10-swim punch cards and save 25 cents per visit.

Special Event: Grand reopening celebration from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today. Free admission. Includes ceremony at noon, bands, teen DJs, a jumping castle, zoo animals and a screening of "Happy Feet" at 9:30 p.m. (A story on Page 1E Wednesday gave the incorrect date for today's grand opening.)