New swimming pool changing areas, thoughts please

[FemaleAndLearning]

Hi, in my area we have a new swimming pool complex opening next year. I enquired to the changing facilities. I've pasted the response below. What do you think I should ask next? I'm not sure what 'separate showering areas' means. It could mean on opposite sides so no nakedness? I feel uncomfortable there is no single sex space for me and my daughters.

I think you ask the question back very clearly.

"For avoidance of doubt, can you confirm there will be sex segregated changing facilities"

I feel uncomfortable there is no single sex space for me and my daughters.

Not sure how you got that from reading that?

Sounds like my pool / gym

Clarify that's single sex changing areas but I would also enquire if they plan any "gender neutral" individual showers (in a cubicle) my gym hasn't got that and so a person who wanted absolute privacy couldn't have it!

Check the family areas / changing village has bars over the top of the cubicles and walls go almost to floor to stop voyeurs (they'll need a drainage gap unfortunately).

headinhands

Probably from 'the changing will be in the form of a unisex changing village' I would have thought.

FPFW have just put a picture of a cheap and tiny camera on their Facebook page, so unless cubicles are floor to ceiling and self contained, privacy is not assured.

And wasn't there a thread a while back about a man wandering around naked in a changing village?

To be honest, I've always found this kind of changing facility so much more convenient, no worrying about your opposite sex kids turning 8 and having to change on their own (I've got one of each). Family cubicles are better and also there are cubicles for everyone, rather than having to change in an open changing room. I have never showered naked after swimming, I'm just washing the chlorine off my hair, most leisure facilities have separate showers if you want a proper wash.

I'd perhaps ask them if they are concerned about the increase in voyeurism type crimes, using small cameras, mobile phones etc in unisex facilities. Ask them what plans or policies they have in place to address this before it happens. You could include some examples of actual incidences and links to research on the increased risk to women/girls in unisex facilities.

I have 4 local swimming pools (4 different councils) all have a changing village. Family and individual cubicles, plus group/school ones. None have floor to ceiling set up (which would be a bit grim from a cleaning pov) . One has separate male/female toilets with individual shower cubicles, another has locked individual cubicles within the village. 3 have poolside showers too.

I am not saying it doesn't happen but I have never seen anyone walking around naked. And I honestly thought that this kind of set up was pretty much the norm.

My local pool has a changing village and the single sex showers are behind a closed door and each cubicle has a locked door.

**My local pool has a changing village and the single sex showers are behind a closed door and each cubicle has a locked door'

Thank you I can ask the about this.Do you then walk I. Your towel to the changing cubicles? I like to have a full wash after swimming!

I would wrap my towel round me and just walk to the cubicle. I often do this after using the loo as it is horrible putting a wet swimsuit back on at the best of times. In a way I prefer to be in the towel rather than just the costume.

Perhaps a towelling robe for modesty purposes would be the way to go then for the walk between showers and cubicles?

But I suppose unless you get to see plans (doubtful) you won't know whether it will be somewhere you feel comfortable using until it is open to the public.

I get dried and dressed in the shower cubicle. There's a dry bit and a bench to sit on in front of the door. Some people wrap a towel round themselves and walk from the shower to a changing cubicle.

Our tiny number of shower cubicles have a firm notice about not getting dressed in them.

When my local authority pool was upgraded it went from having entirely separate changing and showering facilities for men and women to a unisex changing area.
Regular pool users of both sexes complained about the planned new layout, but it made no difference whatsoever and we’ve ended up with one biggish communal changing room for men and and another similar sized one for women so that those of us that like a chat and don’t mind changing in front of others of the same sex can.
Sadly, there aren’t any showers or toilets in either of these so you have no choice but to use the communal ones in the main area which has lots of separate changing cubicles (that are so small you can barely move in) and a few family sized ones which are just about big enough for an adult and child. As you enter/leave the pool there is a communal showering area with 6 showers and opposite these 3 private showers for those that want to take their costumes off.
I’m an early morning swimmer and I’ve got used to the new layout now - the only frustrating thing is having to wait for one of the 3 private showers.
The fact that there are men and women wandering round with towels wrapped them as they head for the changing cubicles has turned out to be a non issue for me because we’ve all seen each other in swimming costumes anyway but I’m not sure I’d be quite as happy with the arrangement if there was a wider age range of people swimming.

My local pool only has a unisex changing village. Communal showers open to the changing area and showers in cubicles, but these are open at the top and bottom!

Same with the changing cubicles, open at the top and bottom.

There are single sex changing facilities for the gym/fitness classes but to get to these from the pool you'd have to come out into reception and go upstairs.

In ours first along the corridor, males men, second men/ males with children of either sex, next women, females with children of either sex, then women,females only... Two open spaces for changing plus a few cubicles, toilets and showers just for women, females and those with children...totally separate from facilities for men. Thank goodness

Most modern swimming pools have these charging villages. I think they are way better then the old style changing rooms.

Ours has shower cubicles which have locked doors, with extra pool side showers. We shower and wrap in towels as I like a full shower after a swim. To be honest it's no worse then walking around in a swimsuit.
I've never seen naked men, just small children. Ours is often busy with lots of swimming lessons and families. But then I never get to go to the adult only sessions.

Isn't a changing village the best idea in these circs?

We have one, and since it was installled I have not needed to see any naked people other than my own family.

I just use the open showers by the pool entrance to rinse down before entering / leaving the pool. Never felt the need to obtain a full shower there, although I think cubicles with doors do exist.

The one we went to had lots of individuals cubicles including family sized ones but no open changing at all - showers were mostly open and nobody stripped off but there was a handful of cubicle showers for if you wanted to strip. Toilets were segregated into male, female, disabled and family (unisex). I thought it worked fine and meant we all shared a locker.

It's a bit annoying having to do the towel dance in a cubicle but it probably is easier for people like a woman with a disabled teenage son.

We have this type of changing facility and it's great. We have four sets of 4 open showers, two lockable totally enclosed showers that are open to anyone, one next to men's toilets and one next to women's. Then in the toilets (I assume it's the same in both but only seen the ladies) there is another enclosed lockable shower. The lockable showers only have one shower head in there but are more than big enough for me and my two children to use together. It does allow for a space to totally change if you want in privacy.

Ours is an open layout with individual cubicles and family ones at each end. There are banks of lockers nominally separating it into male and female ends but everyone ignores it tbh and goes for whichever is free.

The showers are open and 6 enclosed ones but you’re not allowed to change in there and there are signs saying you’re not allowed to walk round naked. Toilets are male, female and disabled/ baby change. To be honest it’s such a non issue and changing villages are great for families and the best solution.

We’ve had to use some of the older swimming pools which are a pain in comparison. Single sex but open showers and benches only, with a few tiny cubicles, which is rubbish if you’re there as a family.

Any pool I’ve been to though has rules about not wandering around naked in the changing rooms though.

I am GC, but I do think it's a positive thing that Dads can now take their daughters swimming and supervise them without taking them into the men's changing room.

I first used o of these i Cornwall about 20 years ago. If it's planned well then it can work well.

The family cubicles need to be big enough to take an actual family. I was there with my brother and two of his children, they used a family cubicle and I used an individual one.

There needs to be a bit of thought, eg to have the family cubicles together with doors opening onto the back of other cubicles so that if your 'spirited' 4 year old decides to open the door you are on display to the back of a cubicle not the reception area or the bloke who lives next door.

Our pool has this sort of changing arrangement, which doesn’t bother me. Much prefer separate changing cubicles.
However, all the showers are poolside, some of which have cubicles. So if you have a proper shower you need to walk past the whole pool wrapped in your towel, which has floor to ceiling windows on 2 sides. One set of windows give full view of the pool to the cafe and waiting area and the other set to outside. I always have a proper shower at home!