1 month till Day 1 @ Colman Pool, which’ll be busier this year

| West Seattle parks | WS & Sports

(May 2007 photo of the plywood that covers the Colman Pool windscreen during the offseason)
Exactly one month from today, it’s the first 2008 day of operation for Colman Pool at Lincoln Park, one of the city’s two outdoor pools. Colman Pool will be open weekends only from May 24 till 7-day-a-week operations start June 14. Starting soon after that, it will be busier than usual, because West Seattle’s other pool — Southwest Pool, east of Denny Middle School — is scheduled to close mid-June through late September for three months of work.

CM April 24, 2008 (10:44 am)

Didn’t the SW pool close for 3 months just last summer too? Or was it longer ago than that?

Aim April 24, 2008 (10:45 am)

Any good reason as to why on earth the pool would be closed for 3 summer months for work? Is it used for HS swim team practice during the year or something? Unless there’s a really good reason that I haven’t yet seen, I can’t imagine why the work would be done during the “high season.” Even beginning it now and finishing up when the sun comes out in July would be a better idea, I’d think. What am I missing?

WSB April 24, 2008 (10:52 am)

Closed summer 2004 to spring 2005 for community center and pool work
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/communitynotices/current/view/View_50_6-17-2004.htm
I am going to check with the project manager but in the short run, I would imagine it’s precisely because Colman Pool is open for most of that time, so at least there’s a swimming option … (city-owned swimming, anyway, of course there are also private pools in WS like the YMCA)

CM April 24, 2008 (11:23 am)

Wow. Thanks. Was it really that long ago? Time sure flies.

Yes, it is used by the swim team, possibly several swim teams. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Pete April 24, 2008 (11:35 am)

Please remember folks we are dealing with the City of Seattle here and it does have to make sense to us lowly tax payers.

karen April 24, 2008 (11:37 am)

I think the pool is used for the Denny and Sealth students during the school year.

CMP April 24, 2008 (12:15 pm)

I found this in the most recent newsletter: “Southwest Pool is scheduled to be closed for major
capital improvements from June 16 â€“ September 29,
2008. This project includes replacement of the facility roof; a new, energy-efficient boiler; replacement of domestic water pipes; addition of an ultra-violet sanitation system; installation of automated pool covers; new energy-efficient lighting; and renovation of the HVAC system. We will post project updates on our web site.”

The reopening date is pretty far into girls high school swimming season so Sealth kids will have to practice somewhere else. Hopefully the work will be done faster since I don’t feel like trekking over to Medgar Evers 3-4 times a week when Colman closes. Once again, excellent planning by the city!

WSB April 24, 2008 (12:25 pm)

We’ll do our best to keep an eye on this, not sure how many project updates we’re really going to get … the communications folks at the Parks Department are very helpful but when I ragged on them about the delay in timely information (about events etc.) appearing on individual park/community center pages, they informed me there is ONE “web person” for the entire Parks Department, and apparently that’s the only person who can do updates. Still waiting to hear from the project manager, btw.

lina rose April 24, 2008 (1:13 pm)

i wonder if colman can do anything to help mitigate the increased use during this time. it looks like the schedule is simalar to last year. i know that in past years, there are times when it feels packed in the pool making it difficult to swim laps with 10 other swimmers in a lane. i know that evening rentals not only provide income but a service to the community but i wonder if they can extend lap swim or public swims a few nights a week after 7pm instead of renting out the pool every night of the week. i am sure that it does not get booked every night. maybe it could help general even more income?

CMP April 25, 2008 (8:48 am)

Colman’s schedule leaves much to be desired. I wish it opened before noon each day, but at least during the week, there are local swimteams there practicing and lessons through the Parks Dept. It would be great if they could open at 10:00 am on the weekends because I don’t recall the pool being occupied before noon. Scheduling onvenient lap swim times has never seemed to be a strong point of theirs, unfortunately.

Oh yeah, it’s easy to swim with 10+ people in a lane, so long as you’re in the right one! If people keep passing you, then move over to a slower lane. Sadly, a lot of people swim like they drive around here which is really annoying.

miws April 25, 2008 (8:53 pm)

I’ve heard that over in Germany, the swimmers on the Schwimminbahn know how to swim.

If you’re in the far left lane, and somebody comes up behind you and flashes, you move the hell over and let them pass!

Mike

WSB April 25, 2008 (8:59 pm)

FYI all – talking to the Parks Department’s very helpful PR person Dewey Potter today, she said they’re working on a response to some of these concerns (not sure if they’d seen this thread or if it was because I left a message for the project manager the other day). Will post it separately as soon as we get it; obviously now it won’t be before Monday …