The murky depths
Jul. 25th, 2023 10:23 amI got a text from the Y Thursday night saying they couldn't see the bottom of the lap pool and it would be closed until further notice. They still haven't managed to clear it up. But I'll also say I don't feel that bad for the lap swimmers there. There are six facilities we all have access to, and three of them are pretty close by car. And here's the thing: all those other facilities just have lap pools.
I'm glad my local one is the newest and that it has a big recreation pool. Perfect for doing my core strength exercises without getting dirty looks from lap swimmers who want the lane. And the design of those lap pools at the facilities isn't great even if you want to take up a lane to do other things. The pools get deeper as you go across, so there's a shallowest lane, a deepest lane, and a bunch of other depths between. The lap swimmers always grab the deepest part first, so if you wanted to stand or walk, you're likely screwed.
It's very weird to be there and have only the recreation side open. Whenever a lifeguard arrives late and they have to close a side, they always close the recreation side because lap swimming is somehow the more legitimate side, even if there are twice as many people in the recreation side. So, while I wish for everyone's sake that no side was closed, I'm glad it's my side that's open for a change.
The other thing this incident really highlights is how the Y always seems so much more focused on programs rather than the facility. I finally had to speak up about the men's showers the other day because there wasn't a single one that had shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. One was missing its shower head. They all have double hooks for towels and bags but in every case, the top hook has broken off, leaving a sharp edge.
I wish I could remember what the pool area looked like a few years ago when the facility opened. There are big chunks of paint missing along one wall under the windows, as if something like sound absorbing materials were torn away but nothing got fixed in the process.
Of course, I'll still go there because it's the only convenient pool ever since the city shut down the nearby swim center. They made a deal with the Y that allows non-members to swim during certain times, but you'll never catch me anywhere near the place during that. A couple of local gyms have pools but I think they're 2-4 lanes and again, nowhere to do anything but laps.
I'm also happy at the Y because its vibe is just much more aligned with mine. Older people getting out and being active who aren't really gym people.
There's not really a point to this post but the whole thing made me think about reports from![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
susandennis of cloudy water at various pools. I'm curious if the mess at my Y is something that might not close a pool down elsewhere.
I'm glad my local one is the newest and that it has a big recreation pool. Perfect for doing my core strength exercises without getting dirty looks from lap swimmers who want the lane. And the design of those lap pools at the facilities isn't great even if you want to take up a lane to do other things. The pools get deeper as you go across, so there's a shallowest lane, a deepest lane, and a bunch of other depths between. The lap swimmers always grab the deepest part first, so if you wanted to stand or walk, you're likely screwed.
It's very weird to be there and have only the recreation side open. Whenever a lifeguard arrives late and they have to close a side, they always close the recreation side because lap swimming is somehow the more legitimate side, even if there are twice as many people in the recreation side. So, while I wish for everyone's sake that no side was closed, I'm glad it's my side that's open for a change.
The other thing this incident really highlights is how the Y always seems so much more focused on programs rather than the facility. I finally had to speak up about the men's showers the other day because there wasn't a single one that had shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. One was missing its shower head. They all have double hooks for towels and bags but in every case, the top hook has broken off, leaving a sharp edge.
I wish I could remember what the pool area looked like a few years ago when the facility opened. There are big chunks of paint missing along one wall under the windows, as if something like sound absorbing materials were torn away but nothing got fixed in the process.
Of course, I'll still go there because it's the only convenient pool ever since the city shut down the nearby swim center. They made a deal with the Y that allows non-members to swim during certain times, but you'll never catch me anywhere near the place during that. A couple of local gyms have pools but I think they're 2-4 lanes and again, nowhere to do anything but laps.
I'm also happy at the Y because its vibe is just much more aligned with mine. Older people getting out and being active who aren't really gym people.
There's not really a point to this post but the whole thing made me think about reports from
susandennis of cloudy water at various pools. I'm curious if the mess at my Y is something that might not close a pool down elsewhere.
