The blue hair pool...

RE: The blue hair pool...

Donna — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 09:34:24 GMT

Yes Skip it is the Chatham Aquatic Center. Since I swam in the evenings. The place was unbearably hot during July, August and September and they kept telling us the AC was broke. Bubbles just pull in the heat. A new roof will be a big help! But they still have to fix the AC in my opinion. After this is the south!

RE: The blue hair pool...

Frank Thompson — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 02:18:32 GMT

Donna: Is the Savannah pool you are referring to the Chatham County Aquatic Complex where the 2004 USMS LC Nationals were held. Just curious because I know they had a bubble and not a regualar roof.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Donna — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 08:07:14 GMT

The pool dilema is always frustrating especially in Savannah. This past summer we endured a hot pool and pool room (many days over 100 deg. in the pool room and 86 in the pool), no air conditioning. Talk about not being able to breath... In 2006 they are going to tear off the bubble and build a regular roof. Like that is going to fix the problem when they kept telling us the air condition wasn't working! So for now I have moved over to a small pool Richmond Hill and the city is going to be building a new indoor pool in 2007 (junior Olympic). We'll have to wait and see how the city defines that.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 06:08:12 GMT

Personally, in my area, I haven't had any serious beefs with the places I swam in. Back in the spring of 2004, I used to swim at the Socorro Aquatic Center, which is owned by the Socorro Independent School District. It has an outdoor recreational pool with a zero depth entry, water slides and what not. It's only open from Memorial Day all the way to Labor Day. The Indoor pool is a 25 Meter pool, which the High School teams use, is great to swim in, but unfortunately, it is overly-chlorinated and the air quality isn't the greatest. The smell is quite strong, that it leaks into the locker rooms and the end result reminds me of a Taco Bell being repainted with latex paint, while getting the floors mopped with a great deal of Chlorox. When I joined USMS in the summer of '04, I stopped swimming in that facility and started swimming at the University pool, which is a great facility. It houses two 25 meter pools, one for competitive lap swimmers and the other for Hydrobics and Aquatic Therapy. The pools use Bromine, which is less expensive than Chlorine and the air quality is much better there than at the SAC. The Mens' Locker Room is great to take a nice warm shower after a good workout at the pool and the floors are rarely ever wet. The only way to have access to this pool is to either be a student at the University, a faculty member or be a member of the University's Alumni Association, which I am proudly a member of. Membership is $35.00 annually and although it costs five dollars to use the pool, (without a time limit) it's well worth the money. I also swim at the Military Base's indoor long-course on Saturdays, which is just as great as the University's facilities. The only difference there is that the Military Base uses Chlorine. The air quality there is good too. As to the whole Water Parks thing, I suppose that's okay for recreational goers. However, they're not ideal for swimmers, which is why I stress saying that research is always important when looking for a good place to swim. I also forgot to add that I take the bus to these pools and time to get to these pools varies from half an hour to fourty-five minutes. Although they're not close to my house, like the Socorro Aquatic Center (five minutes from my house) I'd prefer making a longer distance to go to quality facilities for my workout.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:04:18 GMT

Originally posted by cinc310 Well, back in the 1960's you could have a meet in a 331/3 pool. Image doing 3 laps for a 100 yard swim. But by the 1970's swimming in 331/3 pools were rare. I swam races as a 12 year old doing 66 2/3 yard and the novice team held meets like that. The pool I swam in for high schopol was 33 1/3 yds. For meets we had a bulkhead we put in at 25 yds. It was very odd to swim time trials and practices. I woudl constantly lose count of where I was. I have problems now & I think it is becasue of that pool.

RE: The blue hair pool...

dorothyrde — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 08:10:32 GMT

Nothing replaces the 50 meter training though. It makes the swimmer so much stronger to get that 50 meter summer training in.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 06:25:16 GMT

I was just thinking here. 25 meter pools are not that bad. As a kid I swam on one since the owner of Virgo swim school came from Scotland and in Europe 25 meter pools are the norm and it was indoors. It is the same in distance as a 50 meter pool but with extra turns. So, it develops you for both meters and yards. And its cheaper and easier to built than 50 meter pools. Why more pools are not built this way or converted to 25 meters by adding on to existing pools I don't know.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 06:11:29 GMT

Well, back in the 1960's you could have a meet in a 331/3 pool. Image doing 3 laps for a 100 yard swim. But by the 1970's swimming in 331/3 pools were rare. I swam races as a 12 year old doing 66 2/3 yard and the novice team held meets like that.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 16:54:45 GMT

Originally posted by Ken Classen Lucky for me I swim at the University of Denver’s (DU) 50-meter El Pomar Natatorium finished in the Fall of 1999. My jealousy is legendary.

RE: The blue hair pool...

dorothyrde — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 11:03:09 GMT

Originally posted by Frank Thompson Dorothy and Everyone: Another source of information for the park district and schools to consider in building an Aquatic Center. Today its one of the featured stories "Pool of Dreams" on the USA swimming site and the Rockwood project was one of the first projects that USA Swimming Facilities Development Department contributed to. Here is the link - www.usaswimming.org Ah yes, familiar with this too. Last summer our age group team went down to Parkway's long course meet. The parents who went met the Rockwood folks and got more information on this. One of our parents in particular is bound and determined to do this very thing and has been digging all kinds of information up on portable pools, and such.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Frank Thompson — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 10:57:07 GMT

Dorothy and Everyone: Another source of information for the park district and schools to consider in building an Aquatic Center. Today its one of the featured stories "Pool of Dreams" on the USA swimming site and the Rockwood project was one of the first projects that USA Swimming Facilities Development Department contributed to. Here is the link - www.usaswimming.org

RE: The blue hair pool...

dorothyrde — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 08:49:26 GMT

I found the Bowling Green pool on their park district website. It looks like a 50 meter competitive pool with water park features around it. It is outdoors, so no swimming now!

RE: The blue hair pool...

Frank Thompson — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 03:41:43 GMT

Kirk and Susan: The Brennan Pools are located on Plymouth Road between Evergreen and Southfied in Rouge Park. Its approx 1 mile east of Telegraph on Plymouth Road. Kirk, I think they stopped having meets there in 1977 and moved to the pools you mentioned like Southfield. There was a lot of city politics going on at that time and I think that is why they stopped having meets. Plus I believe it might a little short of 4 feet at both ends so they could not host a meet there today. I will provide a link to pictures of the facility. www.hometown.aol.com/pattonpool/ and link to photo's and you will find some pictures. Photo's 17, 18, and 19 provide a good view of the complex. Susan, the Troy complex is only an outdoor water park pool complex. In 2002, it was not taking in enough revenue so it opened up to people outside the City of Troy. They 4 lap lanes and most are open depending on when you swim there. This facility was built in 1991. This was another facilty that was going to build a 50 meter pool and they changed the plans and decided on an expanded water park and small 25 yard pool instead. I have seen it but never have swam in the pool. I prefer to swim in 50 meter pools in the summer. Oakland University is about the only 50 meter pool that is close to you and they do have summer hours to use it. Its also open on Sundays from 12:00 to 6:00 PM set up Long Course during the fall and winter months and the fee is $6.00 but you have to check the schedule because if they have meets, aquatic events, and semester breaks you will be out of luck.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:41:32 GMT

Originally posted by dorothyrde Urbana is 25 meters 6 lanes, and 25 yards 8 lanes the other way, and is a very nice pool. But the lockerrooms are a nightmare if you are a woman trying to get dressed for work. Floor is constantly wet, no place to put your things, or dry your hair(not that I ever dry my hair). My son tells me the mens lockerroom does not have the floor wetness problem, that it drains better. I use the Y because I don't like to wade through muddy water in my good clothes. That is what the floor in the lockerroom looks like. The Y is also closer to my home and work. It take a lot longer for me to get clear across town to Urbana. There is no easy way to get there and it takes 25 minutes, the Y takes 10. When the Y was down, I went to UHS to swim, and the pool is absolutely wonderful, but if I don't have a good lockerroom, it is not worth it to me. I will swim in a crappy pool for the better lockerroom. Also, the air quality at UHS is really, really bad. It was bad at the Y, but they have worked to improve it. They also balance their water better. UHS does not seem to understand how to balance that pool. The Aquachief swimmers have a lot of trouble with that pool's balance. Yes, I am on the Y board, and every chance I get, I ask them to reconsider and put at least a 6 lane pool in, but it is falling on deaf ears. Dorothy, The men's lockerroom at the Y is terrible. It is so old and there are places where mold occasionally grows. also, there is either no hot water or only hot water. The showers are bad!!! The high school also has water problems. What is really bad is when young boys get inthe hadicapped shower & spray water all over everywhere. Also, the Y is so much more expensive. Craig

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:41:29 GMT

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 15:59:18 GMT

I used to belong to the local JCC, which had an indoor pool (half used for lap lanes) and also an outdoor pool (again, half in lanes) for the summer season. A couple of years ago, they rennovated and added a big outdoor waterpark and lazy river ride. It was a smash hit, and I wouldn't have minded at all, but unfortunately the influx of kids (*lots* of them) overflowed into the pools and the water quality took a huge nosedive. I left and joined a gym with no waterpark, a dedicated lap pool, and strict rules about not allowing kids to play in the lap pool. My dues are about twice as much as they were before, but it's worth it.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:41:04 GMT

Where is a good pool to swim laps in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:09:38 GMT

Hi Skip. Where are The Brennan Pools? I have not been to the Troy Aquatic Center, but I have heard some good things about it. I think they dedicate at least a couple lanes to lap swimming and more during certain hours.

RE: The blue hair pool...

dorothyrde — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 12:36:06 GMT

What I found out in the battle for our 50 meter pool was the phrase bather load donotes how many swimmers can be in the pool. They kept saying the new pool, which was 8 lane, 25 yard, with lazy river would have more bather load than the 50 meter pool had. I finally privatley asked one of the CPD people(the head of aquatics), how this could be. She said bather load is counted by any water 4 feet or less, and all the deck space. The old 50 meter pool's dept was half over 4 foot, so none of that space was counted for bather load. The new plans had no water deeper than 4 foot, and huge deck space. So when they presented these numbers to the public, they kept emphasizing how the new pool has so much more bather load. I think we will have a disappointed public next summer.

RE: The blue hair pool...

ddunbar — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 12:18:53 GMT

There was a recent article in our Houston Chronicle about the closing/remodeling of several of our public pools. One of the major concerns was that the older pools were designed with diving wells. There are evidently not enough lifeguards to keep the deep areas under observation. The newer designs (zero depth entry) allow the parents and guards to keep the non swimmers under control. It appears that the older pools will be retrofitted this way so that we will have no deep water. My local community pool has a separate lap pool 4 x 25 yards but is only open during the summer. There is a struggle to control the nearest 50 meter pool. That Property Owners Association feels that it would make more $$ if the pool were converted to a water park. I swim at the club with a 4 x 25 m indoor pool that is kept fairly cool. Only drawback is that there are no guards to keep the noodlers out (They have their own, 0 depth entry pool with 2 x 25 yard lanes).

RE: The blue hair pool...

dorothyrde — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 08:48:59 GMT

We provided our park district on information about the Holland pool, and there is a pool in Bowling Green Kentucky that looks neat. Did not do any good. It was a smile, thanks for the info, but we cannot afford this......

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 08:01:47 GMT

Denver has one of the most progressive recreation dept. in the US. Denver is progressive? Is that in a future thinking we see the trends stay up to date etc. or progressive in the liberal/socialist political sense? The government within the City and County of Denver limits is probably the later, but alas I can’t discuss that or I’ll get kicked off the board. As far as Denver Rec pools go, I stay away, as most are dated and overheated. However Denver Rec recently built a new center in what was once an old Air Force base called Lowry. It's quite nice; it has a family area with big slide, lazy river, zero depth entrance to pool etc. and a separated 6-lane by 25 yard lap pool. They are running a small age group team out of the facility. This seems to be typical of what there building in the suburbs of Denver. Family areas, with separate competition/lap pools. One recently built pool called The Ridge in southwest burbs has a 25 yard by 25 meter competition pool attached to the family area. To get a brand new 50-meter pool competition pool, demographically I believe you need an affluent family area, basically a lot kids, whose parents can afford the $120 month average age group swim team fee plus all the other little ancillary fees that go with etc. If you can get 200 to 300 kid age group team paying those kinds of dues you can start to justify a 50-meter pool. And the reality is even with those numbers without a significant private fund raising I’d say the likely hood of a 50-meter pool is low. Lucky for me I swim at the University of Denver’s (DU) 50-meter El Pomar Natatorium finished in the Fall of 1999. Fortunately we have a strong masters program with about 15 workouts a week. They run masters program like private fitness club. $48 a month auto debited from your credit card or checking acct. At one time we had about 200 members, do the math, $ money talks. Plus they (DU) benefit from the fitness club effect, members paying dues but who aren’t actually swimming. Let’s face it the fitness club industry wouldn’t actually be in business if everyone they sold a membership too actually used the facilities, as they’d be way too small. By the way speaking of fund raising, The “El Pomar” natatorium was built with a grant from the El Pomar foundation. Gotta love those college campuses every building is just a giant tombstone

RE: The blue hair pool...

Former Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 05:08:02 GMT

Ask a Lifeguard about the zero depth entry pools. I've been told it's alot harder keeping the real little ones from wandering into too deep water. (Parents tend to equate Lifeguard with Babysitter) Most of the designs of these pools that I've seen go from zero depth to 36" and they're all one pool linked to the lap lanes, which means a diaper accident at zero depth closes the whole pool.

RE: The blue hair pool...

Frank Thompson — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 05:05:44 GMT

Here are some more interesting links of what is being provided around the country. www.aquaticsintl.com www.chah20.com www.sportsmgmt.com/expe_aqua.html

RE: The blue hair pool...

knelson — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 04:55:55 GMT

Here's one more. Whistler, BC: www.whistler.ca/.../Meadow_Park_Sports_Centre.php They've done a good job providing aquatic opportunities for all. I've dropped in at a couple of their masters workouts when I've been up there skiing.