Open for more than six decades, the old Jackson Aquatics Center pool has tended to generations of families who spent summers on Summit Avenue.

Locals who lifeguarded in their teens — who were subjected to outrageous cannonballs and filled in as unofficial babysitters for local families — have since taken their own children to the well-worn hangout.

Some reminisced this week about summers spent at Jackson Pool.

City officials plan a farewell party of sorts at Jackson Pool from 6-8 p.m. Saturday. The event will include free swimming, giveaways and food. City officials say the closure is long overdue. The 63-year-old pool leaks thousands of gallons of water per day and has far exceeded its useful life span — and the city’s $76 million Rogue X Aquatic Center is nearing completion in west Medford.

Sandi Sherman, recreation supervisor for the city, said Saturday’s sendoff will feature old photos and fun stories about the old pool. Sherman remembers swimming at the pool as a teen.

“I think what’s been really cool for me is we’ve been pulling up some old photos for the final party. … Jackson Pool has brought so much joy to people of the community, even long before I was born. Some of the photos are really awesome to see. It looks familiar, even from a long time ago. The same place, but a different era.”

Medford resident Bethany DeCoste, 36, said she splashed in Jackson Pool as an excited young swimmer and later as a teen lifeguard.

“Jackson Pool was a huge deal for the community, especially for lower-income families to be able to have the kids go and swim for $1. When I was a lifeguard, if someone couldn’t afford it, we would always let them go in,” DeCoste said.

“Especially back in the day, parents would just drop their kids off, so we’d be babysitters, too. Some of them were going to work and probably didn’t have any other options. It was always just a wonderful part of the community.”

DeCoste earned her lifeguard certification and worked at the Jackson Pool and, during cooler months, the Rogue Valley Family YMCA pool.

“I’m still friends with a bunch of people I used to work with. Sue McKenna was a fantastic boss. It was just a sense of community. As a teenager in my swimsuit, in the sun, by a pool … who wouldn’t love that?” she said.

“I swam there a little as a kid and took swim lessons starting around when I was 8. I remember the ice cream man going by and watching the kids faces as they tried to decide if they’d rather lose their spot in line or go get an ice cream. … I remember the diving board was really bouncy. There were so many teenage boys who — they were supposed to only bounce one time — they’d try to get that second bounce. … I saw some extremely painful belly flops at that pool.”

Medford resident Noel Slocum remembers saving money to be able to swim at the pool.

“I’ve been going to that pool since I was 4 years old. I lived on West Jackson pretty much all my life. Me and my dad … we’d water down our backyard and hunt for fishing worms. I’d sell them, 50 cents a dozen for fishing … to pay for my way to go swimming all summer at the pool,” Slocum said.

Slocum remembered the slide being so popular, she’d spend half her swim time waiting in line.

“You could only go down it two or three times in one swim session, because everybody wanted to go down. I spent a lot of time standing on hot concrete waiting to go down that slide,” Slocum said.

“My brother’s goal in life was to get the biggest cannonball to splash the lifeguards. They had umbrellas that you could take out of the stand, and the lifeguards would take the umbrellas and shield their bodies when it was my brother’s turn. … Jackson Pool was literally a staple of my childhood.”

Sherman said the city hoped to do justice to the old pool and ring in a new chapter this weekend.

“We know a lot of people are sad to see it go. I’m sad, too, but I’m also excited for the future of our valley and swimming in the Rogue Valley. … I’m sad to see Jackson go, but I’m ready for the next adventure.”

Saturday’s event will include food, prizes and free swim. For more info, see facebook.com/events/1627019768104576