2019-142 Civic Center Pool and Water Works Park HoursDate: July 5, 2019 Report No. 2019-142
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: Civic Center Pool (CCP) and Water Works Park (WWP) hours of operations. BACKGROUND: The CCP and WWP are currently in the middle of the 2019 season which runs seven days a week from May 25 to August 13, 2019. After August 13th, the park will be open weekends only through Labor Day, Sep. 2, 2019. Current hours of operation for public swim at the CCP are Monday through Saturday from Noon – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. At WWP,
public swim is Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from Noon to 7
p.m. Council requested the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) provide information on the possibility of extending the CCP hours for patrons who work during the day and prefer an
alternate choice to WWP admissions. The current schedule of hours is structured to allocate time
for programming, after-hour rentals, and maintenance. When the CCP is not open to the public, the facility is being used as early as 6:45 a.m. Monday – Friday and as late as 7:15 p.m. Monday - Thursday. The Denton Dolphins Swim Team has 159
registered athletes that participate in morning and evening practices every weekday. Learn To
Swim (LTS) classes utilize the shallow ends for group swim lessons during the evenings. LTS enrollment for the current session of lessons is at 69% capacity, while the Denton Dolphins evening registration is at 100% capacity. Summer scheduling includes:
Program / Class Schedule Time
Denton Dolphins Monday – Friday 6:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Dolphins Splash Camp
(July 16 – August 1)
Tuesday / Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Aqua Zumba – Sr.
(July 19 – August 9)
Monday / Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Jr. Lifeguarding Monday-Thursday 5:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Denton Dolphins Monday – Friday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Learn to Swim (LTS) Monday – Thursday 6:15 p.m. – 6:50 p.m.
Scheduling at the CCP this season was also made to accommodate classes and programs
impacted by the closure of the Denton Natatorium beginning July 29th. The Natatorium will undergo a scheduled replacement of the HVAC air handling system, and the competition pool will be replastered. The $1.4 million-dollar project was approved and funded by a Denton Independent School District (DISD) bond package. The Natatorium is expected to reopen on
August 20th. Several programs such as the Denton Dolphins will conclude at the end of July which will allow all regular morning operations typically scheduled at the Natatorium to be moved to the Civic Center Pool. This will include contracted users like Master’s Swimming,
Date: July 5, 2019 Report No. 2019-142
Denton Physical Therapy, and Scuba Diving programming as well as internal scheduling that includes senior aerobics, lap swimming, and water walking. Public swim and water walking will be offered from 7 a.m. through Noon during this closure, Monday through Friday.
Similarly, WWP is being used for lifeguard training, classes, and programing before and after public swim hours. The amenities of the WWP such as the lazy river and the wave pool allow staff to expand and enhance regular programming to the outdoor facility. Enrollment of the classes and programs vary as some are on-going and regularly scheduled, such as Senior
Aerobics and Splish Splash Storytime, and others are scheduled in blocks such as the 4-day kayak class. All programming is currently meeting and / or exceeding enrollment requirements to hold the class. Scheduling includes:
Program / Class Schedule Time
Kayak Class (Lazy River) Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Group Swim Lessons
(Wave Pool)
Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Senior Aerobics (Lazy River) Monday / Wednesday / Friday 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Splish Splash Storytime (Children’s Pool - Library) Friday 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
River Robics (Lazy River) Monday / Tuesday / Thursday 6:30 p.m. – 7:25 p.m.
Required Lifeguard Training
(4 hours per month / 155 staff)
Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
After 7:00 p.m., the CCP and WWP are made available for after-hour rentals. This type of rental can include private parties, corporate or business events, and community group gatherings. WWP currently has 26 after-hour rentals booked for 2019 while the CCP currently has 65 after-
hour rentals booked.
Additionally, hours prior to opening are used to perform required staff training and maintenance of the pools. Each lifeguard is required to complete four hours of training a month to maintain their certification. Staff training is scheduled in rotations on Saturdays to meet this requirement.
Pool maintenance and cleaning are performed on a daily basis with deep cleaning performed
weekly on Sunday mornings. On December 3, 2018, the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Board received information on after-hour programming in response to a request for information on hours of operation for WWP.
Staff provided a proposed schedule of programming which is now in place and recommended
maintaining the current hours of operation to continue offering alternative programming and maximize facility usage. Staff committed to exploring the possibility of extending hours if classes and programs did not meet enrollment requirements and proposed adding evening family events.
Date: July 5, 2019 Report No. 2019-142
Based on that discussion, PARD added two family night events:
• Dive-In Movie Moana June 21 8-11 p.m.
• Dive-In Movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone July 19 8-11 p.m.
Admission options were available as an add-on to a daily admission or pass or as a ticket purchase just for the event. Free swim time was incorporated prior to the show starting after dark. The first
Dive-In event was a success with 432 in attendance.
DISCUSSION: The CCP and WWP currently hosts a variety of programs scheduled outside of regular public swim hours optimizing the use of each facility to meet the diverse needs and program demands
of our community. Extending WWP or CCP hours beyond the current opening and closing hours
would displace existing programs and potentially result in cancellations. Staff recommends maintaining the current hours of operation for both facilities to continue offering alternative programming before and after park hours.
Under the current program scheduling, there is the potential to host evening family night events or extend hours on Wednesday nights at the CCP with the exception of July 24th which is booked for a rental. Staff will assess the impact of change and implement as feasible for the current season.
CONCLUSION:
At the end of each season, staff reviews the performance of each park and evaluates programming in the planning and scheduling for the next season. During this process, staff will continue to explore all options for extended public swim times and the addition of evening family events.
STAFF CONTACT: Monica Martin Recreation Supervisor, Aquatics Monica.martin@cityofdenton.com
REQUESTOR: Council Member Briggs
PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS: Parks and Recreation
STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT: 4 Hours