| Author | Message | ||
     Joe R. Citizen Username: Ragnatela Post Number: 504 Registered: 6-2004 |
I have been a member of this pool on and off since I first moved to Maplewood in 1984. One of the defining features has always been the strict rules and the well trained lifeguard staff which enforced them in a consistent and evenhanded manner. I have to say that over the past couple of years, it seems to me that some of the rules which I felt were good ones are honored only in the breach. The best example is "Adult Swim". It used to be that no one over 5 was permitted in the training pool for the 20 minutes of the adult swim. The little kids would squeal with delight because they get to use kickboards under the supervision of an adult. Now there are many kids over 5 in the training pool during this time. Some look to be more like 10 or 11. This makes the pool congested and not really fun for the little kids on kickboards. Now, I know that it's tough to check ages at the pool, but don't kids over a certain age get a different color badge? Even with kids obviously over 5, however, I see no interest in the staff in trying to enforce this rule. Have they decided as a practical matter to let it go? I also remember that in the past, kids were not permitted to use floatation devices in the training and main pools (water wings, etc.). Now it's common. Maybe they took this rule off the books. I'm not sure I understood this one in the first place. Still, it's the best facility of it's kind I have ever seen and it's been a great summer. I just wish I could get into the training pool with my little boys with having them knocked around by playful teens. | ||
| Robert O'Connor Citizen Username: Local24 Post Number: 51 Registered: 3-2006 |
Joe, Must you be a resident to join the pool? | ||
| Ceidefields Citizen Username: Ceidefields Post Number: 44 Registered: 7-2005 |
Joe R - I definitely agree! The training pool is pure and utter mayhem when adult swim is on and the age limit should be enforced more strictly. That said, I think the adult swims are too long and too often. The 5-18 year old set has to either sit by the pool or go to the diving pool during that 20 minute period. Of course what happens is the 5 to 8 year olds (and sometimes older) go the training pool knowing they won't be kicked out. Every second hour would be plenty for adult swim. | ||
| Nashira Citizen Username: Nashira Post Number: 53 Registered: 7-2006 |
Joe, Last year, my "tween" daughter was working as a mother's helper and would bring my neighbor's 4-year-old into the training pool during adult swim. They did ask the lifeguard if this was okay to do and was told as long as she was watching the child and not just playing in there by herself she could go in. That being said, I have seen too many children over the age of five just going in to swim when they should not be in the pool. Just as adults need some time to swim without getting splashed and run into by the kids, the very young children need that time also. I do feel sorry for all the kids who have to sit out on the days where the heat is sweltering. On the other hand, if it were not for adult swim my children would have never come out of the water. In their younger years, they would actually have blue lips from being in the water so much and I welcomed the adult swims as a chance for them to stay out of the water for a little bit without me having to the the "mean" mom. | ||
| Seagull Citizen Username: Seagull Post Number: 157 Registered: 9-2002  |
I completely agree with you, Joe. When they make the "Time for Adult Swim" announcement they do say that only children under 5, accompanied by an adult can be in the kiddie pools. But it is not enforced by the lifeguards. That wouldn't bother me for the kids who were just cooling off and behaving themselves. This weekend there were older kids RUNNING in the kiddie pool, chasing eachother with buckets of water. And getting lots of toddlers in the cross-fire. Lifeguard didn't even bat an eye. Makes me wonder how closely they're watching for a child "in trouble" in the water. And yes, the older kids where red badges- so it's easy to tell if they are too big for the kiddie pools. Other than this gripe, I absolutely love the pool. (Don't mean to sound ungrateful!) | ||
| dano Citizen Username: Dano Post Number: 241 Registered: 5-2001 |
Why is it that my 3 and 6 year old can't wear swimmy's the inflatable ones on their arms?? I can't figure that out. Any insight? | ||
| bettyspaghetti Citizen Username: Bettyspaghetti Post Number: 36 Registered: 11-2004 |
Adult swims have been on the hour every hour for as long as I can remember and I grew up here. For 36 years. I actually like to be able to take advantage of a few minutes in the "adult" pool sans kids. I do agree with no one over the age of 5 in the training pool during adult swim. That too has always been the rule. And children over five should not be in the baby pool. This needs to be a safe place for the little ones to play. | ||
| Seagull Citizen Username: Seagull Post Number: 158 Registered: 9-2002 |
I also like having the adult swim every hour. My husband & I take turns watching our toddler during the adult swim times so we can get our laps in. If it was every second hour as Ceidefields suggests only one of us would be able to swim some laps per day (since our child's limit is pretty much 1.5 hours at the pool) Selfish, I know!  | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1624 Registered: 5-2001 |
SEagull - the lap lanes are open all the time and are virtually kid free so you don't need adult swim for that. | ||
| red Citizen Username: Redy67 Post Number: 6671 Registered: 2-2003  |
The training pool does get incredibly crowded, too crowded. I have to say I was impressed by the staff when one day there were so many people in the pool you could barely move. There were about six lifegaurds all around the pool to make sure everyone was safe. | ||
| Cedar Citizen Username: Cedar Post Number: 198 Registered: 10-2002 |
As a person trying to find a middle ground, with an unconfident swimmer who won't go to the diving pool... Couldn't there be a middle ground where the adult swimmers are "roped" into the area bounded by the starting blocks where it's still not deep, leaving the shallower end of the main pool for older kids? This would leave the training pool to the younger kids and a part of the main to whoever want to use it, while preserving adult swim space. From what I observe, many of the adult swim participants congregate and talk or float, not actually/actively using the area of the pool that is alotted (sp?) to them for 1/3 of every hour. Comments? | ||
| red Citizen Username: Redy67 Post Number: 6673 Registered: 2-2003 |
cedar, if you are going to rope them, do how much lead do they get from the rope? | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 2863 Registered: 5-2001 |
"adult swim participants congregate and talk or float" shorthand: teabags. That was the first term I learned when I joined the pool. It's sort of true -they sort of bob up and down and that's about it. I agree. Rope those tea bags off. Red, they need as much lead as one needs to dunk a tea bag into an 8 ounce cup, wouldn't you agree? | ||
| MSO55 Citizen Username: Mso55 Post Number: 16 Registered: 5-2006 |
People who support adult swim are square self-centered sell outs. Quit complaining about these ridiculously unimportant slight inconveniences to your boring lives. Eat it, MSO55 | ||
| BGS Supporter Username: Bgs Post Number: 1207 Registered: 10-2003 |
Cedar-Good idea...however, many of the people that just dip themselves in and out are people that can only get into the pool by using the stairs and the hand railings...So, unless you are going to clear a path to the starting blocks that is not going to be a good place to rope in the "teabags". | ||
| Nashira Citizen Username: Nashira Post Number: 62 Registered: 7-2006 |
Many of the adults who utilize the adult swim are residents who have been coming to the pool for years, some since it first opened. The pool is for the whole community, not just children. Many people without children have memberships. I do not see where it is too much to ask that they have 20 minutes each hour where they can just go lounge around the pool and enjoy themselves without getting splashed or bumped into. The same goes for the 5 and under crowd at the training pool. The older kids can still utilize the diving tank during adult swim. I loved the training pool when my son was under 5. He was very afraid of the "big" kids who run and splash (one of which is now is) and adult swim was the only time he would go in the water. I, myself, am one of those "teabags" at adult swim. I find it very relaxing to just be able to "hang out", cool down, and not get splashed. I have been a member of the pool since I was a young child and have experienced all of the adult swim rules. The first year we joined I was in kindergarten and benefited from the kickboards in the training pool. I do not remember ever being upset after that when I had to get out for adult swim. I do remember using the time to hang out with friends and walk around the pool or play a game borrowed from the front desk. I remember doing gymnastics on the grassy area near where the picnic tables were. I remember the excitement of hearing "There are 2 minutes remaining in the adult swim", then lining up agains the white line to hear when we could enter the pool. One thing I do not see anymore is kids sitting under the lifeguard stands in "punishment" for not following the rules. I think the pool rules have been wonderful. I feel that my children are in a safe environment and that everyone's best interest is taken into consideration. A few years back, I never thought I would feel comfortable to leave them there when they reached the age limit where they are allowed to go on their own, but I find I have no problem with that. | ||
| Seagull Citizen Username: Seagull Post Number: 159 Registered: 9-2002 |
Eliz- We do use the lap lanes when there's room, but many times I've walked all the way down there to find them full (there's just 2 lap lanes and more than 2 people swimming in each is too many). We only go to the pool in the afternoon (after work) so maybe it's just a busy time for laps. | ||
| John Citizen Username: Jdm Post Number: 91 Registered: 3-2006 |
If people are violating pool rules, would it not be more effective to complain at the pool?  | ||
| Joe R. Citizen Username: Ragnatela Post Number: 505 Registered: 6-2004 |
Does anyone connected with Pool administration read these posts? If so, and if it is a fact that kids over 5 have different color badges, then I want the rule regarding 5 and under in training pool during adult swim enforced or I want someone to explain why this is impractical. | ||
| Cedar Citizen Username: Cedar Post Number: 199 Registered: 10-2002 |
Okay, the point about access is a good one, and I hadn't considered this. The ladders can be tricky. I acknowledge the open pool time splash factor as well, something I've tried to drill into my kid when in the pool in proximity of dry-headed adults. I simply think there should be some way to ensure adults have a reasonable amount of kid-free time in the pool without banning all kids over 5 to the dive tank. Some of those 5+ are simply not sufficiently competent/confident swimmers to go there. (And I agree, wholeheartedly, with the training pool ban for those over 5 during adult swim.) The main pool is HUGE and underutilized during adult swim, in my opinion. Seagull - Not a selfish sentiment, at all. I'm not seeing a reason that you or your spoue couldn't swim laps during open swim. (Are kids in the lanes then?) I'm also thinking that devoting another lane to laps wouldn't take much away from the main pool, maybe devote the furthest to adults only? Nashira - as recently as last summer, I did see the "time-outs" under, or beside, the lifeguard stand. I'd be surprised if the policy has changed; it may be less ardently enforced, though.... | ||
| Albatross Citizen Username: Albatross Post Number: 887 Registered: 9-2004  |
RE: Flotation devices - The standing policy is that all flotation devices must be certified by the US Coast Guard. You can tell if a particular floatation device is certified because it will be sewn or printed somewhere on the PDF. Swimmies and floaties are not certified, and are usually clearly marked "Not a lifesaving device". Exceptions are granted to disabled children (those with cerebral palsy, for example) and should be pre-cleared with the management. RE: Enforcement of age restrictions - Unfortunately, when enforcement of the restrictions matters most, as in a crowded pool, the less a lifeguard in the stand is able to enforce age restrictions. Surveillance must always take precedence over enforcement. When able, roving lifeguards pick up the slack. RE: Time-Outs - The time-out policy has not changed. Less kids under stands can be due to anything from more forgiving lifeguards to more obedient kids. | ||
| Nashira Citizen Username: Nashira Post Number: 82 Registered: 7-2006 |
Albatross, Thank you for your post. My family joined the pool when I was a young child, around 1970 or 1971. "Back then" the pool was much more crowded than it is now and there was a long waiting list just to join. There were too many people to allow guest passes. I guess at that time, with the pool being so new and crowded, many more kids had to have time-outs until it was made known how serious the pool rools are. I would guess the kids these days just follow the rules better because they have been enforced so strictly for all these years. When I was younger, there was always someone sitting under the lifeguard stand. | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1637 Registered: 5-2001 |
There is no reason they could not run a line across the pool halfway either length or widthwise for adult swim. I'm at the pool often/all the time and I would venture that 95% of the time - especially on weekdays - there are maybe 5 old ladies from Winchester Gardens in the ENTIRE pool during adult swim while anywhere for 50 to 150 kids ages 6 thru 18 sit on the sidelines for 1/3 out of every hour. | ||
| Joe R. Citizen Username: Ragnatela Post Number: 512 Registered: 6-2004 |
WOW! Was anyone there this weekend? Someone there does read this stuff. I saw a lifeguard in the training pool walk up to 3 teenage girls gossiping and throw them out. I saw "No Food on Upper Deck" enforced with gusto!. I saw a big sign reminding people of their responsibility for their guests! Nice work! Great facility. Keep up the good work. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8885 Registered: 5-2001  |
Some of these comments highlight why I and some of my friends (who are also childless) don't join the pool. We feel unwelcome. One friend joined her first year here and was chastised by another member for sitting in the "wrong place". The hours don't work for people who commute. Etc. Until the cost of membership is reduced for those who would like to bob compared to those who would like to swim, they have every right to bob. As long as they stay out of the lap lanes, who cares? And twenty minutes out of the pool isn't going to kill anyone. Every other pool I've belonged to had enforced adult swim. As a child, it snack time or time to calm down a little, play on the swings, etc., depending on age. When I got old enough, I really enjoyed doing laps. This may be a "community" pool, but the reality is that it's a "family" pool. | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1648 Registered: 5-2001 |
I disagree - it is more of a under age 6/over 18 pool than a family pool. No other group besides 6 to 18 year olds has an enforced time out of the pool every hour. Babies can be in the pool for hours, toddlers/small kids and adults are welcome to use the pool every hour that it is open. The majority of "customers" are between 6 and 18 and they are only entitled to use the pool 2/3 of the time they are there. It makes no sense. I worked at pools as a teenager and all through college. Every pool had an adult swim but it was in a particular section of the pool. No one needs an enforced 20 minute snack period per hour - we complain that kids today don't exercise enough but we want them to snack every hour... (and there are no swings). | ||
| bettyspaghetti Citizen Username: Bettyspaghetti Post Number: 42 Registered: 11-2004 |
Adult swims have always been the way at The Maplewood Pool. When I was younger, it was my mother's way of having us check in with her. Now I do the same with my kids. I know that every hour, my children have to come and let me know that they are ok. There is nothing wrong with giving adults a chance to be in the pool without being splashed. Even my kids agree with this. Another change from when I was little, was when the whistles blew, every child was expected to return to their parent and clear the pools. This does not happen anymore. We also had to wear bathing caps UGH! And, sitting under the lifeguard stands was something you saw regularly too! | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8889 Registered: 5-2001 |
Conversely, the majority of the paying customers can only rely on unfettered use of the pool 1/3 of the time. | ||
| Joe R. Citizen Username: Ragnatela Post Number: 516 Registered: 6-2004 |
In don't know about the demographics and I don't know that anyone has "unfettered" use of the pool anytime. For those 6-17 who are content to use the baby pool, this is (unbelievably)not discouraged. I saw a huge kid who had to be 12-14 wallowing under the "mushroom" during adult swim. The babies ranged from facinated to terrified. Greentree, I thought you were saying you felt unwelcome because you feel persecuted when you "bob". I never saw anyone give a "bobber" a hardtime anywhere but on this message board. Someone told your friend she was sitiing in the wrong place? I'd love to hear that story. I didn't know there was such a place. I assume that all of the "paying customers" are adults. I never heard of a kid having to pay his/her own way, but I'd venture a guess that a large majority of the adults either now have or at one time did have kids at the pool. I'm sorry I posted on this again. I meant to pass on a compliment to whoever in pool management read the last series of posts. Over and out! | ||
| Albatross Citizen Username: Albatross Post Number: 889 Registered: 9-2004 |
Greenetree: A commuter swim is offered from 6:30 to 7:30 in the morning. As far as evenings, the pool is open until 8:00; dusk prevents it from being open much longer.
This is not correct. I don't know the exact ratios, but the number of adult members is significantly greater than the number of 6-18 year-olds. | ||
| Albatross Citizen Username: Albatross Post Number: 890 Registered: 9-2004 |
Joe R.: Patrons must sit behind the yellow lines on the upper deck. In the event of an emergency, lifeguards can run to the scene unobstructed and have space to perform any needed first aid / rescue. Seating along the edges of the pools is restricted to the side walls of the training pool, the 4-foot wall of the main pool, and the adult section of the diving tank. | ||
| Monster© Supporter Username: Monster  Post Number: 4390 Registered: 7-2002  |
My daughter is thinking of starting a petition against the current adult swim setup, and she has talked to me about hiring a lawyer for an age discrimination lawsuit, it's only fair that for the same period of time that children are barred from the pool, that adults should be barred for the same time, and it should be announced (embarrassingly, as she put it) as they do for the adult swim. Anyone out there want to help with the legal fees, any lawyers care to take this on pro-bono. | ||
| Billy Jack Citizen Username: Kendalbill Post Number: 211 Registered: 6-2002  |
Hey, I am all for "adult" swim (being an adult) but it does seem a bit much to chase the kids out as often as they do. Last week when the heat index was 110, it was downright cruel to see "adults" bobbing to the very last second while the kids were sweating it out on the side. This weekend I saw them implement a modified adult swim. They sent the kids to the deep end past the ropes and "adults' could bob to their hearts content. Could that be a comprimise that works? By the way, a quick story. I was playing with my daughter and her friend (9 and 10) prior to the "adult" swim. Once the "adult" swim was called the kids were sent to the deep (5 feet?) end. My daughter's mischevious friend snuck under the rope one last lime to give me a final small splash. No one else got wet. Rule breaker? Yes. Cute? I think so. No real harm. And I sent her back with a little reprimand- and a splash back. Well that was not the way the two tea bags in front of me saw it. Lots of passive aggressive "kids just don't follow rules..." and "the lifeguards don't do anything around here...". At first, I didn't even think they were talking about my little incident. I called them on it, and they looked away but kept mummbling about how the kids don't follow rules and so on. To which I say: chill. Please. Kids are kids. They frustrate all of us, but hearing kids giggle and splash has to be one of the great sounds of summer. Chill. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8894 Registered: 5-2001 |
Alba - I've heard about the commuter swim. One of my problems is that I would have been able to use the pool exactly 3 times this summer (maybe once more in a couple weeks). The memberships available are not conducive to residents who are occassional users. If I have a Friday off here and there, why can't I go to the pool? Yes, I know. I can find someone to take me as a "guest". But then I am on their schedule. And as a resident and taxpayer, why should I have to do that, anyway? The "poor kids" are not going to melt in 20 minutes. I am more likely to melt all day long on a Friday off without pool access. The "wrong place" my friend was sitting was not near the pool or in the yellow zone. It was where a couple families "usually" hang out. She got there earlier and didn't realize that it was deeded property. I do think it ridiculous that people snipe at kids for being kids. It is, after all, a pool. My problem is that experience has led me to strongly feel that people like me are discouraged. In past threads, people (with kids) have voiced very strong opinions about modified memberships for those of us who would not go to the pool more than 3-4 times all summer. "It's too crowded already" has been the cry. Well, I have a better solution for the overcrowding: I am one person. Keep your kids and their guests home and that will eliminate the problem. I just get really annoyed at the attitude of some posters that everything in town has to revolve around children. | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 6055 Registered: 3-2002  |
Anyone out there want to help with the legal fees, any lawyers care to take this on pro-bono. this would be a most unfortunate way to try to make changes in a community pool...it's often a most unfortunate way to try to do a lot of things, after all. | ||
| eab Citizen Username: Eab Post Number: 125 Registered: 10-2001 |
Every once in a while they seem to skip the adult swim if there are very few people around, say in late August, on a not-so-hot day, at 5:00. I'd like to see more of that, and more modified adult swim. Or, how about restricting adult swim to 20 minutes every 1.5 hours? That would make it 12:30, 2:00, 3:30, 5:00. They could add another lap lane (not sure about this one, isn't there lap swimming in the diving pool as well?). Last idea, shrink adult swim to every 15 minutes. That gets the kids out of the pool to check in with adult, reapply lotion, catch their breath, but it's not as long a wait for those really hot days. I do feel, and I have only one kid left by now, that 1/3 of the time restricted is a lot. And I'd like to see non-members be able to purchase 5 - 10 visit per summer memberships. Even if they all came on the Fourth of July. I like inclusion. | ||
| Morrisa da Silva Citizen Username: Mod Post Number: 508 Registered: 12-2003 |
Good ideas eab as long as those 5-10 visit summer memberships are for residents only of course. I think the modified adult swim or extending the time between adult swim is also in line. There are a lot of kids between say 5-7 who are not very good or confident swimmers and these are the kids that basically have no where to go 1/3 of the time - too big for training pool, too small for either the deep end of main pool or diving pool. When I first started coming to the pool about 10 years ago (when there was less shade structures)I was given the evil eye by many of the Senior members o the pool because I took a seat under the shade. Every time I came back to my seat after swimming with my son the space around my little chair was smaller and smaller. There was a great sense of entitlement back then but I don't get the same feeling today. | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1649 Registered: 5-2001 |
I fully support a modified membership for people like Greenetree however I would imagine it would have to be very limited in order not to encourage full time members from becoming occasional members and reducing the income. Maybe they can try it for a year and see what affect it has on membership and take it from there. I don't believe that "everything in town has to revolve around children" if that was directed at me. I do feel strongly about this because I think it is wrong. Monster - I would be happy to sign a petition if your daughter gets one going. | ||
| bettyspaghetti Citizen Username: Bettyspaghetti Post Number: 43 Registered: 11-2004 |
Why do so many feel that it is a bad thing to make children wait for something. Not everything in life needs to be handed to them immediately. 20 minutes every hour really is not a lot of time. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8896 Registered: 5-2001 |
Eliz - no, it wasn't directed at you. It is a global observation of pool theads over the years. I don't think that a limited membership would reduce income. It would actually increase. They aren't getting any money from me now and I have several friends who are in the same boat. But, trying it would be a good thing. And yes, it should be restricted to residents. |
