Water safety tips
With swimming pools opening this weekend and summer vacations on the horizon, people will flock to pools and beaches. Here are some water safety tips from Jill Toennis, the Red Cross’s aquatics specialist for the Northern Miami Valley:
1. Swim in a designated area supervised by lifeguards.
2. Maintain constant supervision. Never leave a child unattended near water — not even for a minute. It takes less time than that to drown. And don’t trust a child’s life to another child. Also, teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
3. Make sure everyone in your family can swim well. Enroll them in Red Cross swim lessons.
4. Have the appropriate equipment at your pool to be able to reach or throw in case of an emergency. Have a cell phone, first aid kit and life jacket available. Also, learn CPR and resuscitation breathing, and download the Red Cross emergency and first aid apps.
5. Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket around water, but don’t rely on life jackets alone.
Source: American Red Cross Northern Miami Valley Ohio Chapter, serving Champaign, Clark, Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby counties
HOW TO GO
Clark County
Splash Zone Family Aquatic Center
Address: 300 Eagle City Road
When: May 23-25, noon to 7 p.m.; Open daily from May 30 through Aug 16, noon to 7 p.m.
Daily admission: Toddler free (age 3 and under), Children $7 (age 4-17), Adult $5 (18 and older)
For more information, log on to NTPRD.org.
New Carlisle Pool
Address: 301 East Lake St., New Carlisle
When: May 30 through Aug. 1: Monday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m., Saturday 12 to 7 p.m., Sunday 1 to 7 p.m.; Aug. 3 through Aug. 16: Monday thought Friday, noon to 7 p.m., Saturday noon to 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Daily admission: Toddler free (Age 3 and younger); Students $5 (Age 4-17); Adults $6 (Ages 18-65); Seniors $5 (65 and up); After 6 p.m., $2 per person.
For more information, log on to newcarlisle.net.
South Charleston Community Pool
Address: 208 E. Columbus Road, South Charleston
When: Today through Monday, noon to 7; Opens Friday for the season.
Daily admission: $5.
For more information, log on to the pool’s Facebook page.
Champaign County
Wendell B. Stokes Municipal Pool
Address: 689 Park Lane, Urbana
When: Opens daily at noon today until Aug. 22.
Daily admission: $4 for children (age 3-17), $5 for adults (age 18-59). Children three and under and adults over 60 are free.
For more information, log on to urbanaohio.com or Facebook.com/UrbanaCityPool.
A privately owned, aging Springfield pool is closing its doors as some municipal facilities in Clark County struggle to make money each year.
The Northridge Swim Club, 4530 Ridgewood Road West, won’t open this season due to its age and condition, according to board member Andrea Smith.
Three public pools will open in Clark County this week for the season, including the National Trail Parks and Recreation District’s Splash Zone Family Aquatic Center, the New Carlisle Pool and the South Charleston Community Pool.
“After nearly 60 years of operation, the pool structure has deteriorated beyond the point of normal annual repairs,” according to a statement written by the board of the Northridge Swim Club on its Facebook page. “After consultation with multiple contractors, it has been determined that a reconditioning of the entire pool is now necessary in order for it to comply and the club is not in a position at this time to make a capital investment of an amount sufficient to bring the pool up to state standards.”
The Northridge Pool Board began having fundraisers in 2013 to renovate the pool, which needed repairs totalling about $60,000 to $80,000s. Since that time, however, the need for repairs has increased even more at the aging facility, Smith said. Last year, the pool had about 500 members.
“It’s an extremely sad situation,” Smith said. “I wish there was something that could be done. Right now, there’s more repairs that need to be done than we have the funding for.”
Last year, National Trail spent about $282,000 to operate Splash Zone at 300 Eagle City Road, but only generated $184,000. The $98,000 loss was paid for out of the organization’s general fund, National Trail Director Leann Castillo said.
“It’s something we feel we need to provide, so we pay for it through our general fund if the revenues don’t make it,” she said.
Splash Zone opens for the season Saturday. Since it first opened in 2007, it’s averaged about 31,000 attendees per year.
The mild summer temperatures and rainy weather likely kept patrons away last year. During the 83-day season, 39 of those days had measurable rain and 25 had cool temperatures.
“Everything we do is weather dependent, but we still have to have staff to be there to man the facility,” Castillo said. “It’s a very hard business to be in.”
National Trail provided new benefits to pass holders this year, including extended hours and bring-a-friend days. The pool also expanded swimming lessons this year, Castillo said, and will offer similar aquatic fitness classes as it has in the past.
“We’re trying to offer more to our patrons at the water park,” Castillo said.
The New Carlisle Pool, 301 E. Lake St., is expected to open on May 30. The pool has lost money each year since 2010, including about $94,000 over the past two years.
Earlier this year, the New Carlisle City Council voted to keep its pool operational this summer, opting instead to cut its contract with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office from four deputies to two deputies.
Last year, the city spent about $80,000 to operate the pool and brought in about $41,000. The city transferred about $66,000 from the general fund to balance the pool fund at the end of the year. City officials recommended not opening the pool this year.
New Carlisle voters approved a half-percent income tax increase earlier this month, which will generate about $500,000 to increase police protection in the coming months. Even with the levy’s passage, City Manager Randy Bridge told the Springfield News-Sun in an e-mail he won’t recommend opening the pool next year, but the decision will ultimately be made by city council.
“It’s old, it’s a money pit, and the city has to prioritize its financials across all avenues,” Bridge said. “The pool is obviously a financial burden for the city and the majority of our citizens know that. Many pools across the country, both old and new, are not performing like they used too.”
After struggling for years to stay open, the South Charleston Community Pool, 208 E. Columbus Road, recently saw its ownership transferred to the village. The ownership change will allow the commission to avoid paying property taxes.
The commission will continue to operate and maintain the pool under an agreement with the village. The organization recently had its non-profit status reinstated to allow it to receive more donations, sponsorships and grants.
The South Charleston Pool opens Saturday and will be offering early bird memberships through Monday. If the temperature doesn’t reach 70 degrees before noon, however, the pool may not open, board member Wendy Russell said.
The Wendell B. Stokes Municipal Pool at Melvin Miller Park in Urbana, 689 Park Lane, opens for the season at noon Saturday.
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