Learning to Swim

[capt_john_97]

I am an avid aquatics guy. I have worked for Parks and Rec for many years as a seasonal employee running a pool. I have some general thoughts that I would like some input on. I have watched aquatics in OKC go downhill. I have seen pools shut down one after another. I know they are expensive to maintain. I have watched sprayground after sprayground go up. I understand that you dont have to pay a lifeguard and it is a great opportunity for the people to cool off. Here are my questions:
1) Do we as a city expect our children to learn to swim on a sprayground?
2) How come the NW side of OKC has never had a senior pool? Macklanburg is at 119th and Penn. Will Rogers is at NW 36th and Portland (roughly) I thought there were plans to put one around the Pat Kelley park area.
3) How do we get more pools in OKC?

[Thunder]

And I thought you were going to offer us to learn how to swim. lol :-P

I don't know of a single pool in OKC other than WWB. I know of one in Del City and MWC. Those are the three pools that I know of.

[capt_john_97]

Well I have to have a pool to do that in...lol I heard that at one time OKC did consider taking over WWB but that could all be urban legend stuff. See you reinforce my point that you dont know where the city pools are. WR and Mack have been discussed. Woodsen is SW 29th and May. Carson is on 82nd east of May. Taylor collapsed a few years ago. NE is on...well....its behind NE high school and Minnis is on NE36th and almost to choctaw rd.

[bluedogok]

Growing up I took lessons at E.B. Jeffery Park (NW 16th & Meridian) which is now a spray area and I think it was called Harlow Park (NW 19th & Harlow) on the north side of Hilldale Elementary, I think the pool was converted into a playground. After that it was lessons at the YMCA in Bethany.

[rcjunkie]

I agree and would love to see more swimming pools in OKC parks, however, they are money pits, and with the economy, the City has had to close many in order to offer / provide the basic services expected by it's citizens. (Water, Streets, Sanitaion, Public Safety)

Anyone can take swim lessons at your local YMCA, they have set fees, but offer membersips and fees based on your family income.

[capt_john_97]

I know about the YMCA as I worked for them for years. I was Aquatics Coordinator at one point. I do know that the pools are money pits they dont pay for themselves but again I see OKC in this downward spiral of we cant offer things for people so industry wont come. At some point we have to take a stand and see what we can draw in here. It might be a bit too early right now.

[rcjunkie]

I know about the YMCA as I worked for them for years. I was Aquatics Coordinator at one point. I do know that the pools are money pits they dont pay for themselves but again I see OKC in this downward spiral of we cant offer things for people so industry wont come. At some point we have to take a stand and see what we can draw in here. It might be a bit too early right now.

Like I said, I would love to see more pools, but on the other hand, I don't see how it's the City's responsibility to provide a pool and teach people how to swim. I also don't think a company will refuse to relocate to OKC just because said parks don't have swimming pools.

[Thunder]

Dunno why the city would lose money. What I saw back in those days, they made a lot of money when people pay to enter. OKC been offering this free? Also, snack bar, snack machine, drinks...all generate profits. Del City must be doing it all right. lol

[rcjunkie]

Dunno why the city would lose money. What I saw back in those days, they made a lot of money when people pay to enter. OKC been offering this free? Also, snack bar, snack machine, drinks...all generate profits. Del City must be doing it all right. lol

The two family pools (Earlywine and Will Rogers ) just barely break even, but the rest of the OKC Pools loose money, by the time you figure in employee cost, chemicals, maintenance & repairs, utilities, they are money pits.

[bluedogok]

Most of the pools never covered the cost to run them and at the time they decided to close most of them I think they were needing major equipment upgrades, that and liability concerns probably tipped the scale in favor of closing them.

We were never members at the Bethany YMCA, I just took lessons there.

[capt_john_97]

No the pools have never covered the cost of operation. only EW and WR come close to covering their cost. Last year several pools were opened because of donations because the people need pools to go to and not just spraygrounds. I am not saying a business wont come because we dont have pools but I am saying we need to offer the general populace amenities. Most businesses or major industry have their own reasons for not moving here not because we dont ahve a pool. I do think that solely relying on the YMCA or OCCC to teach all the swimming lessons is a bit daunting and how come the city cant take some of that revenue? why doesnt the city have more than one indoor pool?

[ljbab728]

2) How come the NW side of OKC has never had a senior pool?

Keep in mind this is part of the MAPS 3 proposals:

http://www.okc.gov/maps3/srwellness.html

[rcjunkie]

Keep in mind this is part of the MAPS 3 proposals:

http://www.okc.gov/maps3/srwellness.html

MAPS3 has money for pools for seniors, not Senior pools--big difference.

[Larry OKC]

^^^
Beat me to it...LOL

[capt_john_97]

Sorry I meant senior pools not senior fitness thanks for the catch. Senior pool is a pool that has a deep end and usually a diving board. Am I wrong? was there a prosposed aquatic facility for RR "Pat" Murphy behind the Lake Hefner Dam near the Water treatment facility?

[rcjunkie]

Sorry I meant senior pools not senior fitness thanks for the catch. Senior pool is a pool that has a deep end and usually a diving board. Am I wrong? was there a prosposed aquatic facility for RR "Pat" Murphy behind the Lake Hefner Dam near the Water treatment facility?

Not sure about a pool for Pat Murphy, at one time they may have had it on a wish list, but I don't temember there being one listed on any MAPS or bond proposel.

[Larry OKC]

Sorry I meant senior pools not senior fitness thanks for the catch. Senior pool is a pool that has a deep end and usually a diving board. Am I wrong? was there a prosposed aquatic facility for RR "Pat" Murphy behind the Lake Hefner Dam near the Water treatment facility?

Learn something new every day. Never heard that term before. Had heard of the opposite ("baby' pools, shallow inches deep wading type ones)

[Pete]

The huge swim center at OCCC has tons of swim lessons and aquatics programs:

http://www.occc.edu/rf/Aquatic.html

There is a great indoor facility at NE 4th & Lincoln that is open year-round:

http://www.okc.gov/parks/pools/index.html

The Lighthouse complex near Lake Hefner has lessons and a bunch of programs:

http://www.okclighthouse.com/OurPrograms/Aquatics.aspx


Also, Edmond is building a massive swim complex in Mitch park which will be a public facility.

In addition, UCO, Oklahoma Christian and Rose State all have great aquatics facilities with various programs for youth and adults.

[capt_john_97]

yes pete those are all great facilities and only one of those facilities is city run the one one on 4th and Lincoln (Foster Indoor Pool). OCCC has by far the largest learn to swim program besides the YMCA. The lighthouse is known more for their competitive swimming than learn to swim but they too offer some program. I didnt know about mitch park that is cool! I remember working for the ARC working at City pools and various other locations teaching learn to swim but they too pretty much got out of the business. They run a lot of their learn to swim program through OCCC.
I am guessing that it must have been a wish list thing for Pat Murphy. There were supposed to be 3 total one by the zoo one for pat murphy and one downtown if I remember right. I have also heard about (most likely wishes again) expansions on Earlywine and Will Rogers. Earlywine got a new slide last summer.

[Pete]

Whether run by the city or not, all the places I listed provide swim lessons for all levels at a reasonable cost.

Perhaps it's a good thing the city is largely out of this money-losing business and others have picked up the slack? There is certainly no shortage of swim venues for beginners and competitive swimmers, and that's the most important thing.

In fact, being a competitive swimmer myself, I always swim when I visit OKC and never have an issue finding an available pool -- and they are cheap.

[capt_john_97]

No it is easy to find a lap pool. there are no shortage of masters and toher competitive swim events.

[capt_john_97]

The other pools were called junior pools they were hardly anything more than a boat ramp going from 6inches to 3 feet. good for teaching water adjustment classes and getting wet.

[Snowman]

Kingfisher built one similar to Earlywine but built entirely indoors, I know a lot of parents in the northwest quadrant of OKC that rent it to have kids birthday parties (especially in winter months).