chapter 17 Aquatic Facilities Types of Aquatic Facilities

chapter 17 Aquatic Facilities

Types of Aquatic Facilities • Aquatic facilities can be found in indoor and outdoor settings and may be natural or manmade. • Typically, aquatic facilities fall into one of three categories: – Waterfronts – Pools – Water parks

Waterfronts • A waterfront is an outdoor aquatic facility located at a lake, beach, river, or quarry. • The aquatic space includes all open water; that is, the facility is not contained in a closed environment. • Waterfront facilities are commonly used for swimming, boating, and fishing.

Pools • Pools are the most common and basic aquatic facility. • Pools may include a diving board or slide, but for the most part, they offer few amenities. • The traditional pool may include lap swimming areas and a diving well, an area of deep water suitable for diving. • Pools can be located indoors or outdoors and are frequently found in recreation centers, health clubs, country clubs, and hotels.

Water Parks • Water parks are becoming more widespread across the United States every year. • Water parks incorporate different water features designed for maximum entertainment. • Features include water slides, wave attractions, spray features, slow-moving water attractions (for example, a lazy river), toddler play areas, and shallow entries. • Similar to traditional pools, water parks can be indoor or outdoor facilities.

Aquatic Facility Construction • Water parks and pools are man-made aquatic facilities. • Basic construction is usually a concrete basin with a few options for liners. • Sometimes tile is installed on the pool basin and deck. • Both concrete and tile can become a slippery surface hazard. • To combat this, tiles should be one square inch (2. 5 square centimeters) and all decks should be slightly sloped toward a drain to prevent standing water.

Aquatic Facility Accessibility • Accessibility enables all participants to use facilities regardless of disabilities. • The ADA outlines accessibility requirements that should be followed for aquatic areas. • There a few ways to make a pool or water park accessible. – Moveable ramps and stairs – Chair lifts – Moveable floors

Aquatic Facility Operations • Aquatic facilities require a number of key management functions to efficiently operate. • The facility must be adequately staffed, safe, and well maintained. • In addition, it must have proper mechanical systems and quality aquatic equipment.

Staffing • Staffing is the one of the most important concerns that facility managers will encounter when managing an aquatic center. • The most important consideration when hiring staff is finding properly trained and certified employees. • Certification must be obtained before employment occurs. • Aquatic staff may include lifeguards, instructors, and additional staff.

Fee Collection • Aquatic facilities are revenue-generating facilities. • Revenue is typically generated through fee collection where users pay a fee before permitting access the aquatic area. • Access control by staff persons and equipment, including a cash register, credit card machine, or computer are utilized to assist with fee collection.

Aquatic Facility Safety • Safety is a primary concern in aquatic facility management. • When working around a water environment, each decision regarding safety is one of life and death. • Safety has many components, including standards, codes, and safety training for all staff.

Emergency Management • The key to effective emergency management is a solid emergency action plan. • This plan allows staff to assist participants in emergencies in the best possible way. • These plans can encompass near-drowning experiences, spinal injuries, and non-lifethreatening emergencies.

Preventive Supervision • Proper supervision should be part of any plan. • Lifeguards practice supervision every time they sit down in their chair. • By taking steps to ensure that participants are following the rules, lifeguards practice preventive supervision.

Maintenance • Maintenance and hygiene are essential to maintaining safety at an aquatic facility. • A critical aspect when dealing with minor repairs is addressing them as quickly as possible, because the costs can be greater if they turn into major problems later.

Hygiene • Locker room sanitation must be done every day. • Sanitation includes scrubbing toilets, cleaning sinks, scrubbing floors, and hosing showers and other surfaces. • Deck sanitation should also be done every day. • Both before the facility opens and after it closes, the deck should be sanitized with a water and bleach mixture.

Mechanical Systems • The heart of any aquatic facility is the mechanical system that filters and sanitizes the water. • The first consideration in an aquatic mechanical system is the pump. • This piece of machinery circulates the water throughout the aquatic venue. • Pumps can be placed before or after the filter, which is the next key component of a mechanical system.

Sanitation System • The last main part of a mechanical system is the sanitation system. • The two most recognized chemicals used in aquatic sanitation are chlorine and bromine. • Chlorine is the most widely used sanitation chemical and can come in three forms: – Gas – Liquid – Tablet

Mechanical System Maintenance • To ensure that the aquatic mechanical systems are running efficiently, routine maintenance should be performed on the system. • Backwashing the pump and filtration system is a process that should be done every week. (continued)

Mechanical System Maintenance (continued) • Sanitation systems also require basic maintenance. • They must be cleaned and refilled regularly, according to the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. • Failure to clean a system can lead to buildup of the sanitizer and hinder the performance of a system. (continued)

Mechanical System Maintenance (continued) • Seasonal pools have the added burden of winterizing or closing the facility for the offseason. • This can include draining the pool, cleaning and dismantling the sanitation system, cleaning the pump, putting away all moveable pool equipment, and locking down the facility.

Aquatic Facility Equipment • There are many types of equipment that allow recreation facility managers to provide almost unlimited types of programming. • This equipment includes: – – Rescue and safety equipment Instructional and fitness equipment Swimming and diving equipment General aquatic equipment

Aquatic Facility Product Delivery Areas • There a number of production delivery areas within an aquatics facility. • Restrooms are ancillary production delivery areas at aquatic facilities that support the core product and are often included in locker rooms. • Retail outlets are core product extensions where users may purchase merchandise or equipment as a part of their aquatic leisure experience. • Production delivery areas that focus on the core product include areas for informal swim, instructional swim, fitness programming, special events, intramurals, clubs, and athletic teams.

External Support • Certain services are vital to an aquatic facility, but facility employees may not be able to provide them. • External personnel such as emergency medical personnel; police, security, and fire; food services; computer and information technology; and maintenance services help to fill in where needed.