The COVID-19 pandemic shut down many businesses. But one retired teacher's rental business thrived beyond expectations. 

It only took five months for an Aurora man to make $50,000 from renting his pool during the pandemic. 

Ned Gilardino was looking for a new way to make money after retiring from his job as a teacher at Cherry Creek Schools. He decided to enter the rental business by listing his pool for rent. In 2019, Gilardino only got one reservation. It didn't seem there was much interest in pool rentals in Aurora, Colorado. Just as Gilardino was thinking of giving up on his new business, the pandemic hit. 

COVID-19 shut down public pools and forced many to cancel their vacations. Now, people were looking for unique and safe things to do locally. And what better way to enjoy a pandemic summer than with a private pool party? That's when reservations started pouring in for Gilardino's pool. 

Gilardino published a website for his pool and listed it on Swimply, a pool rental platform similar to Airbnb. By the middle of June in 2020, the SplashFork Pool, Grill & Grounds was booked for 500 family events, practices, and a music video shoot. 

A few months later, Gilardino had an extra $50,000 in his pocket. He plans to expand the backyard to include a human foosball field and an indoor shelter. And he already has 250 reservations for the upcoming season. 

The SplashFork pool isn't the only rental pool booming through the pandemic. Swimply saw record reservations throughout the last year, with no signs of slowing down. 

Have you ever heard about renting a private pool like SplashFork? If you have, share your experiences in the comments.