The roof is off.
    As of Monday the Hood River Aquatic Center pool will be an open-air facility for the rest of the summer.
    The unrolling of the roof is an annual signal of great weather and good times ahead. Today’s “Splash Bash” (details in Three To Go on page A1) is an inexpensive, family-friendly way to start the summer.

The pool is a safe place for kids to play, as it is staffed with well-trained lifeguards. On any given day, you’ll see parents swimming with their kids or sitting on the pool deck, keeping an eye out. Nothing wrong with a backup plan, when it comes to kids’ safety.

The pool roof opening comes at the same time as school is out, and with that occasion one sees plenty of kids on the streets and sidewalks in greater numbers at more times of the day.

And in the first hours or days after school gets out, kids are understandably excited and in a hurry to get where they are going.

Drivers should remind themselves to double their own lookout sense, now and throughout the summer.

The roof is off at the pool, but most spheres of activity enjoyed by kids lack the same kind of supervision. There’s no roof, fence, or lifeguard stand for plenty of things kids rightfully enjoy as part of summer fun.

Kids ride without helmets — just a quick trip to the park or pool —  and it can have tragic possibilities.

Youths in parking lots will ride on the hoods of cars; this happened at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday at the east entrance of HRVHS, a girl landing on her feet and giddily running into the school. It’s all innocent fun until a sudden turn or stop at six miles an hour and a young person lands on his or her head.

Kids go to a crosswalk, or where a crosswalk used to be — and venture into traffic when they think it is safe to do so. Except some driver speeds up a hill or takes a right turn without stopping, and the young person does not see them coming.

None of this is intended to alarm; thankfully, most young people engage in activities in a healthful manner, and our communities are generally safe places.

Summer is a time to play, but to play safely. There is a contract that comes with encouraging our youth to walk and ride bikes, for their health and the good of the planet.

Safe behavior is the responsibility of kids and parents to learn, and unsafe behavior is the responsibility of all of us to anticipate as we all make our rounds this summer for work or play.

The roof is off and the water’s fine. Here’s to a hale and happy summer for everyone.