Aquatic Center is bursting its seams
By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer
The peak of summer is National Aquatic
Week and the Blaine County Aquatic Center is bursting its seams. However,
installation of the new water heater is nearly complete.
Junior members of the Wood River
Dolphins swim team juggle space for morning laps. Express photo by Willy
Cook
"The lane lines are packed," said pool
director, Susie Wrentmore, who is in her second summer at the pool. "Last
Saturday we had 160 kids in the pool at the same time. There is a steady
increase in adult use. It is getting difficult to meet all needs.
Although days have been hot, when the
original heater when out people were in for a cold dip in the mornings until it
could be replaced.
"The old one went up in flames. This one
is much more efficient. Instead of heating this room, it’s heating the pool,"
said the pool facility manager, Parke Mitchell, who was expecting the heat
exchanger to be installed Monday. "I had budgeted for a new heater for next
year. I missed it by a couple of months."
The outdoor pool is only a seasonal pool,
open from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year, but it does have a foundation
that could accommodate walls and a roof for year round use in the future.
Mitchell said he spends six weeks in the spring getting the pool ready for the
season and two weeks in the fall to close it down for the winter.
"It’s like starting from scratch every
year," Mitchell said.
During the season the pool is scheduled
for swimming lessons, lap or open swimming and aqua-aerobics from 6 a.m. to 9
p.m. weekdays, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on
Sundays.
The pool accommodates swimmers of all ages
and abilities and hosts a number of competitions for the Sagebrush League of
southcentral Idaho that includes swimmers from Burley, Rupert, Wendell, Jerome
and Twin Falls, and Jackpot, Nev.
"We have 500 plus swimmers," said Dolphins
head coach, Chris Jafay. "We could easily fill an indoor (25 lane) 50 meter pool
all the time. "
There appears to be room for growth, but
the Blaine County Recreation District Board is giving the Janss Center and the
YMCA time to figure out what they are going to do in Ketchum before they proceed
with any development, said Wrentmore.
In honor of National Aquatic Week there
will be a free open swim at the pool from 1:40 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. Wednesday, July
16. On Friday, ball players participating in the Ray Nelson Tournament, who show
up in their uniforms, can cool off for free. Open swim will be extended from 7
p.m. to 9 p.m.