It was a hot day.

Some children decided to cool off in the Mill Pond, in Jordan's Lagoon Park. They entered the water near the cannon that sits at the entrance to the park, near the intersection of Park and Sunset drives and Varner Street, and they swam out to the fountain.

Mayor Ron Jabs saw them and became concerned about them horsing around, damaging the fountain, or getting into the deepest part of the pond, but he didn't think he needed to call the police.

"We'll monitor that," Public Works Director Dave Bendzick told Jabs at tonight's city council meeting, during which Jabs mentioned his concern as an aside.

It's unlikely that swimmers could do much damage to the fountain, Bendzick said.

Since the Mill Pond reopened last month, Jordan area residents have been using the recreational lake -- sometimes inappropriately, officials said.  

Councilmember Mike Shaw noted trash along the beach and asked about putting a trash can somewhere close by. Bendzick said the part-time summer staff had spent a considerable amount of time cleaning up garbage and that a solution could be accomplished.

Children also seem to have adopted a "new favorite activity" -- walking on the biolog along the pond's shorelines, Jabs said.

Bendzick said that hopefully, they won't stomp down the native plantings when they are put along the shorelines this week. Public works employees will keep an eye on the biologs, he added.