HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-13-12, Aquatics_Update
Parks and Recreation Report - Aquatics Division
Dan McCarthy, Aquatics Director
December 2012
This month is a very popular month for Aquatics. We will increase our recreational swim times
during the winter break. The attendance for the recreational swim during the winter break over the last
couple of years has decreased. The main reason that the attendance has decreased is that by state
health codes, children 13 and younger are required to have an adult present in the facility. Many
parents use to drop off their young children (sometimes as young as 5) and then go to Bridger Bowl for
the day. Since this cannot happen anymore, we have seen a decrease in the number. To help bring our
numbers back up we have just ordered a large float toy that will attract families to the facilities. We will
be putting this toy out on Saturday afternoons also to increase family participation.
During the month of December we have a Synchronized swim clinic one Saturday. The
Barracuda swim team, and the Swim Center will also host the Teddy Bear swim Meet, the weekend of
December 14-16. This will have many teams throughout Montana participating, and we will be unveiling
the new starting blocks to Montana. This is important that teams see and hear about the new blocks so
that the participation in the May and July swim meets will increase.
High School classes have started up this week, with the freshman swimming. I am happy to
report that we have not had any students hanging on the wall crying this year because they cannot
swim. This was a big eye opener when this happened last year. The classes are very large, and because
of this our weekly visits have increase from an average of 1000 visitors a week, to over 3000 visits this
week. This is incredibly hard on the pool systems but they are doing an incredible job of holding
together, thanks to the work of the staff.