Younger me would be very proud of the amount of time I’ve put into my swim training for the Austin 70.3 in October. Just last week I swam six times in seven days, including the longest swim of my life! All this was made possible by Austin’s free public pools. Case in point: there’s a pool just 2.5 blocks from my house and another less than a mile from my office, so the logistics of my tri training have been a non-issue.
Well, all that’s a-changing. Starting now the pools are closing
for the season. And by season I mean the entire year until next summer. Maybe it’s because the weather here in Central Texas gets too cold to be outside after mid-August. Or maybe it’s because everyone who had enjoyed swimming all summer have suddenly and in unison decided they don’t want to swim anymore. No, it ultimately comes down to budget. The city only budgets for the pools to be open a certain number of hours, and once the money is gone, the gates are locked. Only two pools remain open year-round, neither of which are near my house nor my office. Alas, some early morning commutes to the pool are likely in my future.
I can think of some ways these pools could stay open longer. For one, charge an admission fee to use the pool to make each pool self-sustaining. I mean, who closes public pools when it’s still 100*+ every day, and will be for the next month?
WTF?!
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While I agree that the COA seasonal closings of pools is frustrating, I understand their reasoning. Keep in mind the (assumedly) #1 source of income for these pools are kids, not athletes. Once school starts, pool attendance drops dramatically.
Management details aside: Austin is gush with swimming resources, regardless of the season. We are lucky. Of course you know about Barton Springs (I hope you’re taking advantage of this treasure), but you may not know about Stacy.
Stacy (just east of Congress and Live Oak) is a JEWEL of a pool. a 1930s WPA project, its 33-yard lanes are spring-fed and heated to 76-78F (there’s a very small amount of chlorine mixed in because of the heating; way less than a gym pool). With 6am-8pm hours of operation year round, Stacy is swimming heaven in the fall and winter. Nighttime swimming at Stacy is the best: steam above-water, crystal clear views below; you’re lit by a Moonlight Tower, and there’s hardly anyone there. Bliss!
With Town Lake, Stacy, and food trailers galore, I think you need to just move south. You’re a good fit. 🙂
I know Big Stacy well, and that will likely be my default if I don’t join a pool (like YMCA [$$], Pure Austin [$$$], or 24 Hour Fitness [mixed/poor reviews]).
How do kids provide income for the city’s free pools like Balcones near NI? Couldn’t Balcones try out a “pay per swim” model and let the swimmers fund the pool? Obviously it wouldn’t work if the income didn’t offset the cost, but it’s worth a try without impacting COA budgets.