It’s about to become a little warmer to swim at the Oak Harbor pool.

After hearing multiple people complain about pool temperatures Monday night, the North Whidbey Parks and Recreation board voted to raise the temperature one degree to 83.

Cynthia Allen showed up to the parks board meeting with exhibit No. 1: Her 6-year-old son who shivers through his swim lessons.

The Oak Harbor mom wanted to bend the board’s ear about the temperature at the pool, which is supposed to remain at 82 degrees.

That’s so cold she dresses her lean son, Odin, in a wetsuit, and he still turns blue by the end of the half-hour lesson, she told the board.

“I know a lot of parents who won’t take their kids to the pool because it’s too cold,” she said. “Eighty-two degrees is not warm enough for a public pool.”

Noela Graham described the pool as “cold as bloody hell.” She said sometimes she gets out of the pool and her hands are “completely white.”

Board director Sean Merrill acknowledge aging equipment has made it difficult to keep the pool at a constant temperature. They are working with a company to buy software that will regulate the air temperature in the pool. The air temperature affects how people feel in the water.

This isn’t the first time people have complained about the temperature at the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool. Earlier this year, the board heard from parents and seniors ready to abandon the pool because the temperatures were too chilly.

At that time, they also heard from swim coach Dick Taylor, who said competitive athletes typically swim in pools that are 79 or 80 degrees. Too warm of a pool can be detrimental and even dangerous to athletes who become overheated.

Then, the board thought they settled the matter by compromising to keep the pool at 82 degrees. Monday night, board member Donna Sue Holly voted against the measure, but not because she likes lap swimming in a cool pool. She’s concerned about the bottom line. It costs about $1,000 more a month every degree the pool temperature is raised, she said.

“We don’t have the money in the budget,” she said.