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My number one fan
Aug. 28th, 2024 05:49 amWhen I originally joined the YMCA, Everett's location was the historic downtown one, with an original building from the 1920s and additions from the '60s and '80s. With Everett being the largest city in the county, it was odd to see all the smaller cities around us get new locations while Everett remained historic. Finally the plans for a new flagship location were unveiled and funds were raised, and the expensive, beautiful new Everett Y opened in 2019. I went there for a few months until 2020 happened.
I could go on and on about design decisions I don't care for in the new location, but for now I'll just say it's been a challenge to teach there. Class is in the recreation pool, which is generally a great thing because people can find the depth of water they like. Sometimes the water is way too warm. Where it's always too warm is on the pool deck, especially at the natural spot for water fitness instructors to stand.
Picture a big square with a bite taken out of a corner to make way for a hot tub. That little corner is a great place for visibility, but it's also very hot. Heat comes off the water in the pool, even more comes off the water in the hot tub, sunlight streams in through huge windows, and there's no wall nearby to mount a fan. The instructors who teach from the water don't have to worry about the heat as much, which is why I'm really grateful one reminded me that there are big powerful fans in the facility; they'd been used at the doorways to help with ventilation when there were HVAC issues.
I got permission to drag them out when I teach, but the spot near the wall where I plug the speaker in wasn't close enough for the breeze to reach me at that instruction spot. I'm running a special series of classes this week while the floors everywhere else in the facility are being refinished, and it wasn't a huge turnout on Monday, so I asked while I was setting up if anyone had a problem with me standing off to the side. They said no, so I got to stand right in front of a fan the whole time.
It was still hot, of course. But hot air moving quickly is a lot more comfortable thank hot stagnant air. Enough that I waited a long time before busting out one of my frozen cooling towels, which I took off after a few minutes.
There's a small corner of the pool where visibility will be blocked and that's a corner that's used to having a very close-up view. But the only other way to get the fan close enough to me would be to run a cord across the walkway, which I don't consider great pool safety. It's not as easy for the lifeguards to get around for their patrols, but I asked the closest one if he minded and he didn't have a problem with it. I'm sure if he could stand in front of a fan, he'd jump at the chance, too!
There should be more people today since I had a chance to tell people about it at the class I went to yesterday. This special class has been announced quite a few times but people tend to miss announcements. And misunderstand them. No matter how hard you try to explain there's an extra class, they'll still ask whether the original one is canceled.
I could go on and on about design decisions I don't care for in the new location, but for now I'll just say it's been a challenge to teach there. Class is in the recreation pool, which is generally a great thing because people can find the depth of water they like. Sometimes the water is way too warm. Where it's always too warm is on the pool deck, especially at the natural spot for water fitness instructors to stand.
Picture a big square with a bite taken out of a corner to make way for a hot tub. That little corner is a great place for visibility, but it's also very hot. Heat comes off the water in the pool, even more comes off the water in the hot tub, sunlight streams in through huge windows, and there's no wall nearby to mount a fan. The instructors who teach from the water don't have to worry about the heat as much, which is why I'm really grateful one reminded me that there are big powerful fans in the facility; they'd been used at the doorways to help with ventilation when there were HVAC issues.
I got permission to drag them out when I teach, but the spot near the wall where I plug the speaker in wasn't close enough for the breeze to reach me at that instruction spot. I'm running a special series of classes this week while the floors everywhere else in the facility are being refinished, and it wasn't a huge turnout on Monday, so I asked while I was setting up if anyone had a problem with me standing off to the side. They said no, so I got to stand right in front of a fan the whole time.
It was still hot, of course. But hot air moving quickly is a lot more comfortable thank hot stagnant air. Enough that I waited a long time before busting out one of my frozen cooling towels, which I took off after a few minutes.
There's a small corner of the pool where visibility will be blocked and that's a corner that's used to having a very close-up view. But the only other way to get the fan close enough to me would be to run a cord across the walkway, which I don't consider great pool safety. It's not as easy for the lifeguards to get around for their patrols, but I asked the closest one if he minded and he didn't have a problem with it. I'm sure if he could stand in front of a fan, he'd jump at the chance, too!
There should be more people today since I had a chance to tell people about it at the class I went to yesterday. This special class has been announced quite a few times but people tend to miss announcements. And misunderstand them. No matter how hard you try to explain there's an extra class, they'll still ask whether the original one is canceled.
