The past weekend was a scorcher, and it’s a sure bet that we have not seen the last of hot weather this summer.

So when the days become smoldering hot, it is good to remember that there is a safe place to cool off right here in Fort Dodge.

We are referring, of course, to the Rosedale Rapids aquatics center at 10th Avenue North and North 32nd Street.

In 2007, voters approved a bond issue enabling the city government to borrow the millions necessary to build the aquatics center.

The center opened in 2010, and it provides much more than just a rectangular pool to splash around in.

Its features include:

• Multiple water slides, including one that features a swirl bowl that spins people around before they splash down into the water.

• A pool for little kids with a depth of around three feet that includes water toys.

• A full-size pool with diving boards.

• A channel of water called the lazy river, in which people can walk for exercise or just float.

The open swim time at Rosedale Rapids is 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

There is also a second water attraction in Fort Dodge. The splash pad at Oleson Park at the south end of 17th Street doesn’t have a pool, but it has features that spray water on people from different angles. It provides a wet, fun time for younger kids.

Readers of The Messenger who live in nearby communities like Gowrie and Humboldt should check out the aquatic recreation features in their towns. And they will be welcome at Rosedale Rapids if they want to try something different.

Fort Dodge voters made a bold investment in their community’s future when they gave the local government the power to borrow the money for creating Rosedale Rapids. We should not fail to take advantage of it.

So when the next scorching hot day arrives, we encourage everyone to hit the water at Rosedale Rapids.