City pool losing few days to weather
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 12:31 p.m., June 17, 2008
Updated 12:31 p.m., June 17, 2008
Photo by Adam Vogler
Haylee Weiss, 7, splashes down on the waterslide at the Emporia Aquatics Center Monday, June 16.
The hard-hitting storm season hasn’t resulted in much lost time for the Jones Aquatic Center this year.
Emporia Recreation Commission Aquatics Director Mike Lynch said Tuesday that the weather has been fairly cooperative for the aquatic center. The pool has been closed down three days —two full and one partial — since opening on May 24.
“Last year, we started out worse than this year,” he said. “And this year, we’re getting a little bit better weather as far as heat and certain days, bigger days on the weekends, we’re actually able to stay open.”
Swimming lessons at the center started Monday; the beginning of lessons came later than usual because of colder weather. So thus far, the ERC hasn’t had any lessons canceled because of the weather.
Revenue-wise, Lynch said the ERC loses “quite a bit of money” on days when the pool is open but the weather isn’t conducive to having a lot of people show up, because he has to pay pool staff to be there. He said that with a summertime swimming pool, you know breaking even isn’t going to happen.
Photo by Adam Vogler
Slight rain didn't deter local children form making use of the Emporia Aquatic Center Monday, June 16.
“Last year, I know that it didn’t (pay for itself),” he said. “Obviously, that’s a goal of mine that I’d like to work towards. Being able to fund myself would be excellent. That’s just a goal we’re working for, and it’s hard to do. And it’s hard around the state — I hear the same thing from a lot of different aquatic supervisors.”
Lynch is hoping for a big turnout on the Fourth of July, when the pool will be open for half price. The pool’s last day open will be Aug. 10, the day before school starts.
Comments
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Posted by witherdin2ition (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A big turnoff for my family in using the aquatic center is the price. In the long run, they'd make more money by attracting more families by lowering admission costs.
Posted by anonomom (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 3:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree! we lived in Emporia for 5 years and went maybe twice in that time. Our new town has a similar center and it costs MUCH less, I am finding we do go a lot more often because price isn't as much of an issue. Also several times we tried to go and they had closed early, or asked us to leave not long after we got there so they could close early. It was all around just a turn off.
Posted by hottopics (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They could have saved a ton, remodeled Peter Pan Park Pool. This new one is NOT easy to get to. Kids cant ride bikes or walk like they used to down to the park. Not to mention the wind factor. Its over priced....a BAD investment is what seems to be the average conversation. I wish someone would dig up the old one. It would make money and the town would get better use.
We have yet to go this year and really may only go once during this summer.
The food costs are even more. People cant afford to go out there on a regular basis and spend just a few hours.
Posted by dhcc66 (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hey hot...remodelling peter pan wouldn't have worked...it had huge cracks and washout underneath. a whole new pool would have had to have been built.
could look at it this way...if they would have saved the old one..everyone would still be whining about what a bad location it was in..the troublemakers it attracted because of where it was....and how horrible the non-family atmosphere was there.
THEN...if the old pool..left like it was.. collapsed and took several houses with it...everybody would have said "SEE...WE TOLD YOU TO BUILD A NEW POOL!!!". the city just can't win. if you don't like it..don't go. if you do like it, please support it. we are lucky to have a pool like this. sorry they built it in the wrong place for some of you.
Posted by admireed (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dh... you are right right right.
Posted by rami (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 11:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am please with JAC, my family doesn't live on the westside of town and I have to drive back & forth quite a bit but I think it's well worth it. I think the price for a family of 5 on a regular day is kind of high so we solve the problem by going during family swim on Friday evenings. I have 3 kids that go about 2 or 3 times a month when they tire of swimming in our pool, I send them with a 20 and they are good for 5 or 6 hours.
The old pool was always so crowded and I never had much fun.
Posted by rdgrey (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We moved here soon after they built it so we have never seen the peter pan pool but I can tell ya this pool is just so out of the way tucked into the corner of a part of town that the roads are always being closed due to construction. I wish it was closer for my kids to ride there during the summer since I do work and do not have a summer vacation to run them all over this town. Also when we go I always wished they would have a few more shaded areas for us that burn easy to get out of the sun without being 500 feet from the pool. As far as price goes it is a little on the upper end of the average for a town pool but still not bad and it is a nice pool, just bad location and that is what will kill the pool. My kids can walk to the rec center and swim from our house and that is where they go the 99% of the time because of the location.
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