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From the Aquatic Director
July 5, 2021
How old do the kids need to be to swim without you? What’s the policy?
- Anyone under 7 years and younger requires a parent/guardian in the water swimming with them. Plan to dust off your suit, ditch your excuses and get in with your little swimmers.
- Children 8-12 years old who can pass our swim test may swim with you in the building and not in the water. So you can sit on deck- actively watching your children. Our lifeguards are watching everyone, so we expect you know what your swimmers are up to.
The swim test is:
- Jump into the pool.
- Swim on their stomach with arm and leg action halfway down the pool.
- Float or tread on their back for 30 seconds.
- Swim on their back with arm and leg action back to where they started.
*A lifeguard will administer the test and determine if the swimmer is competent to swim without a PFD.
- Children 13 and older who are not needing a lifejacket may swim without a parent or guardian. They must follow all posted rules and listen to the staff or they will be asked to leave and we will contact you for follow up.
- Regardless of age, any swimmer who is wearing a lifejacket requires a parent/guardian in the water swimming with them. Please do not tell our staff, “they can swim without it but like to wear it.” If they can swim, they shouldn’t be wearing a floatation device. Meaning, you are in the pool. Not on deck.
Melissa Georgesen
Aquatic Director
Lifeguard Colin showing a poorly fitted PFD.
July 1, 2021
Hi Swim Families,
I know you have all stayed up to date through our ups and downs. Many of you are feeling frustrated with the lack of programs, the limited hours and the continuing restrictions. I have been saying the same things and you are probably sick of hearing it again.
I had to place our staff on unemployment on not one, but two separate occasions through the COVID closures. After the first lay off, most of the staff sought other employment. Then I asked them to come back. Then I laid them off again. More had to leave and get jobs that would not lay them off. I am not exaggerating when I tell you we lost nearly 75% of the workers here.
Then I was unable to hold trainings to get new employees certified. We were operating under restrictions to the best of our abilities. It wasn’t enough.
This isn’t just happening for me at our pool. This is nationwide and across our state. My friends who run nearby pools and I have been meeting throughout COVID, sharing best practices and sharing staff. The staff you see are exhausted and trying their best to fill multiple spots. Hence the breaks in the schedule. Hence the limited program options. We are all doing our best. If Canby or Silverton has a program that suits you better, please go!
I know it isn’t enough. I know we don’t have the time your family wants. We aren’t offering the swimming lessons your children need. Please believe me when I say I am doing my best to find quality employees to train for these programs. I sincerely hope the fall looks different for all of us.
Sign up for one of our family swims and bring in your kids. Jump in the water with them and teach them what you know. I know we are all tired, but this is one thing you can do. Come in and see what we have that works, and have fun with your children.
Melissa Georgesen
Aquatic Director
April 30, 2021
Navigating through these waters...
Hi Swim Families,
I want to reach out and let you know how the move to extreme risk affects our swimming pool. We are considered an indoor fitness establishment, and as such we can only have six people in the facility at any given time. This presents a little bit of a situation for us. We are not able to host family swims, water fitness classes, tot time and are limited on the private lessons. We will continue to offer lap swim by reservation only and at a limited capacity of six people. To accommodate having less programs and less amount of people in the pool, we have added additional lap swim times throughout the day. We know this does not fix or make your situation any easier and we are so sorry for that. Thank you for your continued support as you hang with us through all of these transitions.
We have been told that being in extreme risk may only last for one week. We continue to be hopeful that that is the case and early in May we can move back to offering family swims, water fitness classes and everything else.
We want you to know that your membership will not be affected. We will fully refund any pass or prolong any membership that needs to do to this added closure. We appreciate your trust while we navigate through these waters.
At the end of the day staying open for six at a time seemed a better option than closing a third time. We hope you support our decision. Please reach out at any time with questions we are happy to help.
Melissa Georgesen
Aquatic Director
