Politics & Government

Heat Waves Set Sunset Hills Pool On Course to Financial Win

Costs for upgrades and damage from the New Year's Eve tornado look to be a thing of the past.

The Sunset Hills remodeled Aquatic Facility, the pool, is on a path to 100 percent financial recovery, and officials credit the hot month of June with giving it a boost.

Schedules of lessons, special activities and good promotion of the facility to camps and other groups all led to a positive report for the Pool Advisory Committee Monday.

"Overall, the pool is doing very well, comparing to last year too," said Victor Vigil, assistant director of SH Parks and Recreation, and managing the pool.

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Pool Advisory Committee:

  • Pat Duke
  • Joe Fiala
  • Pat Fribis, city alderwoman
  • Chair Jan Hoffman, city alderwoman
  • Amiee Monda
  • Victor Vigil, assistant director of SH Parks and Recreation

A month into the season, the city reports 1,747 people are pool members—and there are others who pay a daily rate, non-residents, lessons, and other pool users through groups. Snack sales are part of the picture, too.

Find out what's happening in Sunset Hills-Crestwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

General financial info reported includes:

  • $83,844 memberships
  • $30,500 some lessons, some snacks, some groups
  • $14,526 other swim lessons
  • $11,844 Concession
  • $1,440 other swim lessons

The facility has a team of 65 lifeguards this year, many times the number of last year, in order to maintain coverage as the season progresses and employees take vacation, return to schools, and other things common to summer, part-time jobs.

"We have a good mix of older and younger people," Vigil said about the guard staff.

There is a book of photos and names of the guard staff available for patron use, kept at the front desk of the pool, Hoffman pointed out.

The majority of pool users are residents, yet camps, church groups and other groups use it on a scheduled, periodic basis.

This month, some five to 10 passes are being sold every morning. Estimates are 400-600 people going through the gate every day, assuming it's good weather.

Children's summer camp use has brought in $12,000, officials said. Laumeier and Olivette camps are customers, as well as the Sunset Hills Parks and Rec camp.

And there is a new deep-water aerobics class in the morning, which Vigil said seemed to be gaining traction with folks.

There is also an extra hour of River Walk exercising in the morning (total two hours) and one hour in the evening. Typically, this sort of exercise includes walking against the current of the Lazy River facility.

This year, those who arrive for classes must pick up a ticket from the pool's front desk, which is later collected at the site of the lesson by lifeguards or instructors.

Hoffman said the city needed to adjust the rates for pay-as-you-go passes, which would raise the cost for non-residents from $70 to $96. Officials said they would likely notify the public in August that rates would change for the coming year.

The next pool advisory meeting is expected to be Aug. 1.


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