Goals and challenges
Conroe, Texas, is located where summers are hot and humid, while winters stay relatively mild — prime country for a bustling aquatics program. That’s exactly what the Conroe Aquatic Center delivers.
It includes four pools housing a long list of programs. Open all year, the center has built its impressive offerings around three components: education, fitness, and recreation/leisure.
It also manages a smaller, four-lane, 25-yard seasonal pool with zero-depth entry, a mushroom spray, water spouts and a 15-foot water slide.
The center doesn’t serve a single constituency, but patrons spanning every age group, ability level and interest. The diversity of offerings is drawing a steadily increasing number of people — a major challenge in itself. In the last fiscal year, the Aquatic Center served 125,598 citizens, with year-to-date participation showing a 14.5-percent increase.
How they did it
If there is an aquatic need in Conroe, the Aquatic Center has developed a program for it. The sheer size of the main facility is a good start: The larger of its two enclosed, heated pools has eight lanes, a 13-foot diving well with two 1-meter boards, two 3-meter boards, and a 1- and 5-meter diving platform.
Among the Center’s many programs:
• Lifeguard and water safety instructor classes
• Scuba classes
• A nationally ranked dive team and competitive swim teams
• A variety of fitness classes, including water aerobics, water walking, deep-water jogging and Zumba
• After-school programs teaching children how to react in an emergency
• Training for outside organizations, including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and emergency response training for Texas Parks and Wildlife agents, U.S. Coast Guard officials and Homeland Security agents
“Flick-n-Float” events allow patrons to stay cool in the water while watching a movie. Citizens can even rent facilities for baptisms.
With many programs offered year round, and a goal never to turn anyone from the community away, organization and planning are essential. The center has seven full-time staffers and 60- to 75 part-timers to keep things running.
And to make the most of time and facilities, two or three activities can take place simultaneously in one pool. Lap swimming might be offered in the eight-lane competitive pool, while separate classes take place in the adjacent diving well.
Extended hours also help, with pools open seven days a week during the summer, and six days a week from Sept. through April.
