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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

about the swimming pool in the school holidays?

19 replies

smurfgirl · 16/04/2009 21:45

Genuine qu.

Local leisure pool is a traditional rectangle shape no slide or anything wth a ladder to climb in.

During school holidays they don't have a swimming lane in the pool during public swimming hours. Its popular and so you can't really swim in it during holidays because there are lots of children there

There is a members only adult swim from 7-8am in the morning with lanes.

When its not holiday time there is always a lane for lengths.

Ladies at my aqua class were saying that there should be a lane but I am not sure I would like to be able to swim a few lengths. Should there be a lane in holidays for people to swim in or should we suck it up and allow the children to use the whole pool?

OP posts:

Thunderduck · 16/04/2009 21:47

Surely there should always be a lane for those who want to have a good swim and not just lark about?

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 16/04/2009 21:47

I think there should be a lane. It's not just children who use the pool, it shouldn't be exclusive.

Original poster

smurfgirl · 16/04/2009 21:48

Argh sorry - point of thread was that they/we were going to ask at the front desk about getting the lane back in in the holidays so was wondering if it would be unreasonable to ask for one!

OP posts:

Thunderduck · 16/04/2009 21:49

It wouldn't be at all unreasonable imho.

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 16/04/2009 21:50

Not unreasonable. I'd ask.

BigBellasBeerBelly · 16/04/2009 21:51

My gripe is the other direction - some pools are all lanes and no casual swimming areas (noted from before DC - DH and I like to muck aorund. No petting obviously )

There should always be at least one lane and a reasonable mucking about area.

While we're at it, there should also be a proper deep end, and at least one diving board. But that's another conversation

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 16/04/2009 21:55

And some slides, and floats and toys. Every pool should have some of these.

BigBellasBeerBelly · 16/04/2009 21:57

Yes. And it should be OK to jump or dive from the side when safe to do so.

No bombing, natch

Simplysally · 16/04/2009 21:59

There should be a couple of lanes for proper swimming and a lane for mucking about.

I gave up on my gym pool tonight as there were children arsing around in the slow area - the babies on floats were fine. It was the 12-yr olds that annoyed me more! Tis a bit annoying but I guess their parents have paid through the nose for gym membership so they're entitled to use the pool as well.

MommyHasaHeadache · 16/04/2009 21:59

One lane is fair I think.

Original poster

smurfgirl · 16/04/2009 22:54

Thanks for the replies. There is only ever one lane in the pool(s) I use, they are local leisure centre ones.

During the day its usually ok to swim in the main part of the pool (around the kids/babies!) so one lane is fine, people only really use it to swim fast or do to front crawl.

I will feed this back to the pool and ask about it, I am thinking more about the summer holidays because I use this pool twice a week for aqua and usually swim as well.

OP posts:

ILIVEONBENEFITS · 17/04/2009 02:40

I think all public pools should have a traditional "it's a knockout" style games area where people can try drowning in a variety of outlandish and silly costumes whilst their friends run up and down throwing balls about the place.Non swimming friends could always be brought along to "play" the outsize joker card to lend support and feel included

thirtypence · 17/04/2009 05:52

I think it's reasonable to ask. Maybe it's not completely workable for a 3-4 hour period in the middle of the day, but before 10 and after 3 it probably would be.

I'm hacked off that our massive multi pool facility has nowhere for children to practise their lane swimming until they are around 8. So not having a lane at all must be pretty rubbish for you.

Blondeshavemorefun · 17/04/2009 08:35

def not bu to ask for a lane to swim in

sure many others swimmers must get annoyed

there may be an early bird lane, but who wants to get up at 5.30am to swim?

smudgethepuppydog · 17/04/2009 08:48

By Blondeshavemorefun on Fri 17-Apr-09 08:35:09

there may be an early bird lane, but who wants to get up at 5.30am to swim?

Oh you'd be surprised. It was always a popular session at the pool I worked in and now my 18yo gets up regularly at that time to swim. She'll easily knock out 5-6k in the hour and a half she's in the pool in the morning then repeat it all in the evening!

A compromise might work at the pool. They might be unwilling to keep the lane rope in all the time, those who want to do widths would complain (and there are plenty of widths swimmers about, especially older folk who like the security of swimming to a wall rather than a rope). We used to run a luchtime lane swimming only slot during school holidays, it fitted in with workers lunch breaks and it also suited the families who often wanted to get some lunch into teh kids at lunch time.

lilyrose123 · 17/04/2009 09:31

i know what you mean, i enjoy taking my dd to pool but i also go twice a week to keep fit, i like to swim 1 or 2 mile which equates to 60-120 lengths, a near impossibility when its the school hols, esp when they have just introduced free swimming for under 16s at our pool!
they do put a lane up but to be honest its not enough when ther are bout ten or twenty people trying to lane swim, plus kids still come into lane climbing over rope swimming under it etc,
i dont go in hols now, my mum has membership for health club few miles away with its own pool no kids allowed, i treat myself to a pass there in the hols as they have steam sauna and spa too, hairdryers are free....oooh and a costume spinner!!!!!

branflake81 · 17/04/2009 10:33

There should definitely be a lane. That's what swimming pools are for, at the end of the day. I am a good swimmer and if there is no lane hate swimming in the bit where the kids are playing as I always think I am going to plough into someone doing front crawl. It's far better to have a roped off section.

mamanicky · 18/04/2009 11:39

Agree you should def have access to lane(s) for serious swimmers for several (sensible time) hours each day. I rely on the lane(s) in our local pool as my pref stroke is back stroke which is difficult/dangerous with no lane. Am now 27wks pg and learning to swim b/s arms with f/c legs - very confusing! Have felt terribly vulnerable & protective of bump with kids jumping & thrashing around over hols - can't wait till they go back to school! But at least they've always kept one lane available, and two or three at lunch times.

sobanoodle · 18/04/2009 11:46

During the holidays, at the gym i use they have adults only lane swimming for an hour or 2 in the middle of the day and again in the evenings. plus for half a day they cordon off 2 or 3 lanes for children's lessons. seems a balanced and fair way to do it. agree it's impossible to have a proper swim when people are milling about everywhere - ok to mill about of course but do the millers need the whole pool ? No !

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