DeSoto has no shortage of summer activities. What changed in 2026 is how those activities fit together.
The ARC at McCowan Park opened April 12, giving the city a year-round place where swimming, fitness, recreation, classes and community events can happen under one roof. The City calls it the “Heart of DeSoto” and identifies a central hub for Curtistene S. McCowan Park as one of the project’s goals.
That description is already proving accurate. The ARC has not replaced the DeSoto Public Library, Moseley Pool, the Civic Center or the wooded trails at Windmill Hill. It has given residents a reliable starting point, with those established places serving as strong extensions of the summer schedule.
For anyone searching for things to do in DeSoto TX this summer, that is the useful story. You can now build a local routine around one anchor instead of treating every activity as a separate outing.
DeSoto’s new anchor works because it supports different kinds of days
At 75,000 square feet, the ARC at 1400 Academy Way has enough range to serve more than one purpose. Its facilities include an eight-lane competition pool, a zero-entry leisure pool, a full-court gymnasium, an indoor track, fitness and strength areas, exercise rooms, meeting spaces, party rooms and a teen room.
The building is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Those hours matter as much as the facility list. An early workout, an afternoon swim and an evening visit can all begin at the same address.
The two indoor pools also support different routines:
| If you want to… | Start here |
|---|---|
| Swim or relax in shallower water | The zero-entry leisure pool, maintained at about 86 degrees and ranging from zero to five feet deep |
| Swim laps or train | The eight-lane competition pool, maintained at about 82 degrees and ranging from seven feet to 12 feet 3 inches deep |
| Exercise away from the heat | The indoor track, gymnasium, strength areas and fitness studios |
| Plan a gathering | The meeting spaces, social areas and indoor party rooms |
The City says at least four lanes in the competition pool normally remain open for public lap swimming while scheduled aquatic programs are taking place. Lane access can change during special events or building-wide programs, so checking the current pool schedule before leaving home is a sensible step.
You can try the ARC without making an annual commitment
A day pass makes it easier to see where the ARC fits into your week. Current DeSoto resident pricing includes:
- $15 for an adult recreation-only day pass
- $15 for an adult aquatics-only day pass
- $25 for an adult combination recreation and aquatics pass
- $10 for a resident youth recreation-only or aquatics-only pass
Classes, specialty programs and recovery services may require separate registration and fees. The facility is cashless, so bring a credit card, debit card or accepted digital payment method.
That combination of long operating hours, indoor options and flexible admission is why the ARC has become more than a new building. It gives residents a dependable answer when the day is hot, the weather changes or different people in the same household want different activities.
The July 3 Family Reunion BBQ showed what the building can become
The clearest evidence came over Independence Day weekend.
On July 3, the ARC hosted the first DeSoto Family Reunion BBQ. The City promoted it as a new summer tradition, with a barbecue competition, 3-on-3 basketball, fitness demonstrations, line dancing, activities, local vendors and live music.
That event has already passed, but its role in this summer’s story remains important. It showed how the ARC can connect indoor recreation, outdoor park space, food, music and community programming in one place.
The opening celebration in April offered an earlier preview. Local coverage described multiple gym courts, cycling and group-training studios, open elevated walkways, outdoor balconies and large windows looking toward McCowan Park. Tasmanian Mobile Kitchen served attendees, and DeSoto native Von Miller was present for the occasion.
These details explain the “center of gravity” idea. The ARC can host an event while continuing to function as a place residents return to for ordinary weekday use.
Late July still gives residents plenty to put on the calendar
As of July 15, 2026, several summer programs remain ahead. The best approach is to think of the ARC as the anchor and the DeSoto Public Library as the strongest second stop.
The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club continues through July 31. Its remaining Monday programs include Painting with a Slice on July 20 and a Pool Party Finale on July 27.
The library’s broader late-July calendar also includes:
- Creative Journaling: July 16
- Anime Club: July 18
- Teen Tuesdays: Summer Edition: July 21 and July 28
- Sculpt-A-Story: July 22 and July 29
- Unearth Family Stories with Shauneille Smith: July 23
- Kindness Rocks: July 23
- Local-author event with Jackie Alexander: July 28
Movie Day Mondays, Book Buddies and Legos at the Library also continue on recurring dates. Review the official DeSoto calendar before attending because event details can change.
The ARC adds another distinctive option on Friday, July 31. Its scheduled Sound on the Water program is a floating sound-bath session from 7 to 7:45 a.m. Registration and current availability should be confirmed through the City’s aquatics page.
This is where DeSoto’s new summer pattern becomes clear. One day might center on the ARC. Another might combine a library program with an indoor swim or walk. The city’s schedule still has several locations, but those locations now feel easier to connect.
Moseley Pool gives the summer a true outdoor option
The ARC may be the new anchor, but it does not make Moseley Pool unnecessary. The two facilities serve different kinds of outings.
Moseley Pool remains DeSoto’s waterpark-style outdoor choice, with zero-depth entry, two large slides, spray stations, shaded areas, concessions and a lap-swimming area. Its 2026 season runs through September 6.
Regular hours are:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday through Friday: Noon to 6 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday: 1 to 6 p.m.
Resident admission is $7 for adults and $5 for ages 3 through 17. Admission is free for DeSoto residents age 55 and older and for children age two and younger. Moseley Pool is also cashless, and outside food and drinks are not permitted.
A Senior Pool Party is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, from 9 to 11 a.m. The event includes swimming, games, prizes and food. Admission is free for DeSoto residents age 50 and older with proof of residency and $5 for nonresidents.
The practical distinction is straightforward. Choose Moseley when slides, outdoor water play and a classic pool day are the priority. Choose the ARC when you want indoor swimming, lap lanes, exercise areas or more control over the heat.
Windmill Hill remains the counterweight to all that indoor activity
Some summer mornings call for a trail rather than a pool.
The Paul S. Dryer Preserve at Windmill Hill is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Its 75 acres include heavily wooded areas, soft-surface trails, gentle slopes, steeper hills and a bridge crossing Ten Mile Creek that is named in memory of Steven Ray Vaughan.
The tree cover makes Windmill Hill a locally distinctive option, but summer heat still deserves respect. Earlier or later visits are the practical choice. Bring water, choose footwear suited to soft trails and adjust the route to your comfort level.
Windmill Hill strengthens the same citywide pattern. Residents can use the preserve for an outdoor start and keep the ARC available as an indoor follow-up rather than asking one park to serve every purpose.
The arts program shows that the new hub can connect existing spaces
The ARC’s role extends beyond pools and exercise equipment.
The fifth annual DeSoto Artist Lab Residency Program selected its 2026 cohort from 44 applicants. Summer programming included Sheridan Keglovits’ Art Adventures workshops at the ARC. Other Artist Lab activities featured Chelita Lenice’s sewing sessions, Morgan Dunlap’s clay and ceramics workshops and Alberta’s creative-movement programming.
Those programs did not all occur in one building. That is precisely why the hub-and-spoke description fits. The ARC provides a new place for arts programming while the Civic Center and other established city spaces remain active.
A similar opportunity arrives on Thursday, August 6, when the City hosts a Volunteer Fair at 6 p.m. in the Bluebonnet Room at the DeSoto Civic Center. Residents can meet representatives from programs involving emergency preparedness, beautification, library services and other community initiatives.
The calendar is no longer defined by a single type of activity. Aquatics, exercise, art, reading and civic involvement now connect through a smaller set of recognizable public places.
A simple way to plan the rest of summer
You do not need to fit every event into the next two weeks. Start by choosing the kind of day you want.
For an indoor day: Check the ARC pool and program schedules, then choose a recreation, aquatics or combination pass.
For a scheduled activity: Begin with the DeSoto Public Library’s late-July calendar or the August 6 Volunteer Fair.
For an outdoor pool day: Review Moseley Pool’s hours, admission rules and cashless payment policy.
For a trail morning: Visit Windmill Hill earlier in the day and plan around the heat.
The point is not that every DeSoto summer activity now happens at McCowan Park. The point is that the city finally has a facility capable of organizing the season around it. The ARC gives residents a reliable first option, while the library, Moseley Pool, Windmill Hill and the Civic Center keep the schedule varied.
That is a meaningful change for daily life in DeSoto. It makes a local summer easier to plan without making it feel smaller.
Schedules, registration and availability can change, so confirm details with the City of DeSoto before attending.
When a local question turns from weekend plans to homeownership, Derek Westley offers hands-on guidance backed by years of experience across DeSoto and the southern DFW suburbs. Contact RE/MAX Preferred Associates to discuss your goals, or take the first step with a Get Your Free Home Valuation request.
