The wait is finally over — St. Marys first-ever indoor public pool opens this Thursday morning.
At 6:30 a.m. the pool will open to the public, with lane swimming until 9 a.m. There will not be a grand opening event until the official grand opening of the Pyramid Centre on May 31.
It will be a busy day for the new pool Thursday. After the lane swim there will be a water fitness class from 9 to 9:45 a.m. DCVI Phys-Ed students will have an aquatics class from 10:10 to 11:25 a.m., and then another lane swim will take place between 11:30 and 1 p.m.
There will be a special open swim for families from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in honour of Turn Off the Screens Week, which encourages children to be more active (in future weeks, swimming lessons will take place in this time slot). Another Aquafit class runs from 7 to 7:45 p.m., and a lane swim will finish the day from 7:45 to 10 p.m. A complete swim schedule is available on the town’s website at www.townofstmarys.com, under “living in St. Marys.”
“The community will be very pleased with the number of programs we are offering here,” says aquatics supervisor Andrea Slade. “We are able to offer programs and a variety of classes to suit everyone. There has already been so much interest in the pool, which is really fantastic.”
Children five and under pay $2 admission (or can buy a book of 30 passes for $30); youth age six to 18 pay $3 admission (or 30 passes for $50); adults pay $4.50 admission (or 30 passes for $80), while adults 50 and over pay $4 (or $70 for a book of 30 passes) per admission. Families can swim for $10, and Aqua-fit classes are $5 each (or 30 passes for $80). Ticket books are available at the Pyramid Centre canteen, and single admissions can be taken at the pool admission gate.
All pool users must shower in the change rooms before entering the pool, and must bring their own towels. Locks are strongly encouraged in the change rooms (men’s, women’s and family). There is also an aquatic wheelchair available on demand; users can enter the pool via a ramp.
Slade says that swimming lessons are almost full; if you still want to register your child, please call her at 519-284-3272, ext. 623, or drop by her office, located near the elevator at the Pyramid Centre.
“I am really excited about our classes for babies and toddlers because they will be able to learn and develop their swimming skills in a safe and healthy environment,” she says.
Some fast facts on the pool:
-the pool is heated to 84 degrees Fahrenheit;
-the sauna, which is 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and whirlpool, which is 103 degrees Fahrenheit, are for adults only. This is to protect children, says facilities manager Jim Bryson, as heart defects are not often discovered until adulthood and the warm temperatures could aggravate any underlying conditions (adults with heart conditions should be cautious in their use as well);
-the pool holds 88,000 gallons of water;
-the pool is sanitized by a salt water system, which greatly reduces the amount of chlorine used. The water contains 3,000 parts per million (ppm) of salt, similar to the salination of the skin and eyeballs (which is why it is less irritating). But swimmers will not be able to float easier due to the salt content, because it is still quite low; ocean water, for example, ranges between 30,000 and 45,000 ppm of salt;
-the pool is a full 25 metres long, and the deep end is 2.40 metres deep.
The free outdoor splash pad is still under construction, but will be completed in advance of the grand opening day on May 31. It is intended for children 12 and under, and will be available for use between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. It will also be monitored by cameras for safety purposes, and to deter vandals, says Bryson.
New event planner
The Pyramid Centre’s new event planner, Jenna Pfau is a familiar face in town; prior to starting on Mar. 31, she was the town’s volunteer co-ordinator (filling in for Jenny Makita’s maternity leave), and spent 10 years at Wildwood Care Centre, with eight of those as activity director.
Pfau says her job is to “promote the building with everything that we do,” which includes the new catering options at the Community Centre through the Friendship Centre’s kitchen.
More place settings have been ordered, as have wineglasses, so that the Community Centre can accommodate larger events. “We want to give people the option (of using our catering),” says Pfau, adding, “and let people know that we are here and can do it.”
Pfau will also be visiting area businesses to promote the entire Pyramid Centre as the ideal place to hold functions like family days and meetings.
The town is also hosting municipal night – where councils and administration from other municipalities within the county gather for a fun and informative evening – this Thursday, Apr. 17 at the Centre. “It will be our first opportunity to show other municipalities all we can do here,” Pfau says.
“The town wants to increase its revenue (here at the Pyramid),” Pfau says, and while staff has provided some suggestions, she is also free to explore events on her own.
A flea market is being planned for the summer on the old ice pad, which will be dry for the season (the new pad will have ice all summer). While the dates aren’t confirmed yet, exhibitors will be set up all weekend with a wide variety of arts, crafts, antiques and baked goods, and Pfau says there will likely be food vendors as well.
Starting with the grand opening on May 31, roller skating will be offered on the dry pad. Skaters will be able to rent skates or bring their own rollerblades, and Friday night roller skating parties are in the works, complete with a DJ.
“It’s a great flashback for adults and a good introduction of something fun to do for younger people,” Pfau says.
A volleyball tournament, bridal and home builder shows are also in the works over the coming months, she adds. “We are so excited to have the place busy during the summer,” Pfau says of the new opportunities available by the Centre expansion.
Any suggestions or ideas on event the Centre can host are welcome, says Pfau, adding that the facility is also available for personal events such as birthday parties and family reunions. “We’re here to cater to what the community wants,” she says.
For rental inquiries and suggestions, Pfau can be reached at 519-284-3272, ext. 645. Her office is located at the southwest end of the Pyramid Centre, and, while her regular hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, they vary with the hours of various events.