So I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for the new rec center up the road to open. I've been thinking how cool it will be... walk a mile and a half to the pool, work out, walk a mile and a half back... think of all of the calories burned! Think of the workout to be had!
Didn't really think they'd rip me off on the pool.
When they said "warm water fitness pool," I thought "25x25 pool warm enough to keep the blue hairs happy." I did not think "warm puddle just big enough to wave around your pool noodle." After all, all of the high schools in the area have swim teams and they use the rec center pools for practice. It would only seem logical to have a pool of an appropriate size to use for that purpose. Um, no.
What we have is a warm puddle (which I didn't even bother getting into) then we have a kiddie pool with all of the accompanying stuff to climb on, and then we have this "current area" (that's what they call it) which is sort of like a thin lap lane that winds around and through the kiddie area, and has a current to it, to add to your workout when you're walking around with your pool noodle.
Of course, sticking the "current" area in the middle of kiddie land makes absolutely no sense, being that the blue haired ladies don't like to get their hair wet... and being in the kiddie area ensures that you're going to get wet!
I was pondering the merits of trying to swim against the current, but it's not really a wide enough channel to pull that off. Not to mention that I'd probably get whacked with a noodle if I tried that.
Oh well, I guess I'll just go back to the old pool. At least it's quiet and generally noodle-free.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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!
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
