To think that there should be provision at council owned facilities for families to swim together after school?
My DS (4.5) is learning to swim and is suddenly very interested in it and wants to go all the time. I am overjoyed as I'm a very keen swimmer myself and I love taking him.
Feeling incredibly frustrated though as I've just realised that there is nowhere within driving distance of where we live that I can take him for a 'family swim' (chilled out splashing around and playing underwater etc, not lane swimming which he is obviously unable to do at his age - after school)
New Barnet leisure centre (who have benefitted from £44milion of council funding) is our closest pool and have a fantastic learner pool - but it's only open at 10am on a week day for a short 50 minuite session. I take him to this but when he starts school after the holidays we won't be able to go.
Park road haven't gotten back to me and won't pick up the phone but it doesn't seem they offer a family swim indoors at all at the moment (as per their booking app anyway) at any time.
Same with Copthall.
Same with Finchley Lido. They have the wave machine but he is too little for that at the moment.
I feel like better leisure just prioritise things like swim school which brings in a lot of revenue for them.
My mum taught my siblings and I to swim in our local pool after school and we had such a good time together and are all very competent swimmers as a result. I feel really sad that I can't do this with my own child.