2008 Summer Open Swim Season: Fee: FREE
Dates: May 24 - August 17
Hours: 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
2008 Fall Open Swim Season: Fee: FREE
Dates: August 23-24 & August 30-31
Hours: 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Exceptions:
All aquatic centers are closed on Mondays except Labor Day
July 4th Hours: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
Labor Day, September 1 Hours: 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
FAILURE TO OBEY A LIFEGUARD ON DUTY MAY RESULT IN IMMEDIATE REMOVAL FROM THE PREMISES BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
1.
Swimsuits, swim-diapers or swim trunks only – no shorts, T-shirts, diapers, thongs, etc.
2.
Shower before entering any pool.
3.
An adult must accompany children under 8 in the pool.
4.
NO diving.
5.
NO running, horseplay or rough play.
6.
NO cuts, open sores, bandages or infectious diseases.
7.
NO smoking, eating, drinking, except in designated picnic areas.
8.
NO glass containers. NO alcoholic beverages.
9.
NO profanity.
10.
NO animals or pets, except seeing-eye dogs and K-9 officers.
11.
NO flotation devices, except U.S. Coast Guard approved lifejackets.
12.
NO patrons allowed in office or mechanical areas except in emergencies.
13.
NO group activities allowed (day camps, private lessons, swim teams, etc.) without prior approval from the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department, or designee. Organized groups must provide at least one adult chaperone in the pool per eight swimmers under age 8.
14.
Aquatic Staff are not responsible for lost, misplaced or unattended items.
15.
Pool shall close immediately at first sign of thunder or lightning. Pool may re-open 30 minutes after thunder and lightning have ended.
DEEP WATER SLIDE RULES AND REGULATIONS (For Patrons)
1.
A person must be at minimum 42” in height and able to swim unassisted to use water slides and tread water where applicable for 30 seconds to qualify.
2.
No free swim allowed in the diving well.
3.
One person on the water slide at a time, with an immediate entry into the water.
4.
Wait for previous water slide patron to reach the ladder before descending into the water.
5.
Swim directly to ladder and exit.
6.
Patrons using water slide are not allowed to:
a. Stand directly under or in front of the ladder
b. Run off the slide
c. Do hand stands or cartwheels off the slide
d. Wear personal flotation devices
e. No hanging from water slide
f. No hanging on the side of diving well or sitting around the deck of diving well
g. Parents and/or private instructors may not slide with the child from the water slide or wait in the water in front of the waterslide for the child to descend
h. Slide head first
7.
Lifeguards will enforce all rules for the safety for all patrons using the water slides.
8.
Use caution when using the water slides.
DEEP WATER SWIM TEST POLICY
The deep water swim test consists of jumping feet first from the side of the pool at the deep end, coming up treading water for 30 seconds, leveling off and swimming any stroke across the pool and back on the surface of the water.
DAY CARE AND SPECIAL USE GROUPS SWIMMING POOL USE AGREEMENT
Special use groups: Any social or unscheduled function that arrives to use the pool during operational hours that will affect the pool-bathing load (i.e., day care groups, church groups, Boy & Girls Scouts, etc.).
1.
All pool rules and regulations, which apply to the public, must be observed.
2.
A ratio of one (1) adult chaperone per (8) children 7 years and younger in the water.
Example:
Up to 8 students = 1 Adult
9 to 16 students = 2 Adults
17 to 24 students = 3 Adults
• Youth between 8 and 12 years of age – 1 adult for each 8 youth.
• Youth older than 12 years of age – patrons can swim without adult supervision.
3.
Use of the facility must be restricted to the main pool area. The wading pool is not available for group functions.
4.
All adults must be attired in swimwear and be supervising in the water at all times.
5.
Transportation must be readily available for removal at anytime.
6.
Each group will be restricted to one visit per week.
Example:
If a day care center has more than one group of students, each group will be allowed use of the facilities but not on the same day.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
A parent, guardian or responsible person should accompany all swimmers with special needs on a one-to-one basis in and around the pool area. Non-Swimmers will be required to remain in the shallow areas of the pool. Any swimmer who needs assistance or cannot yet complete the swim test must wear a life jacket. All people with disabilities who are not supervised on a one to one basis, i.e., (groups) must be referred to the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center at 1475 West Gray, (713) 284-1973.
CITIZEN COMMENT AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
In the event a patron has a comment or complain. The personnel in-charge will try to satisfy the patron without any conflict. The patron must be given the opportunity to complete a Comment Form. The Comment Form will be given to the Region Manager and the Manager will contact the patron concerning the incident.
PUBLIC TELEPHONE USAGE
Public telephone usage should be limited to 1 minute for non-emergency calls.
LOST AND FOUND
Items left at the pool should be placed in a designated area for lost items. When after three (3) days the item(s) are not claimed the item(s) may then be disposed of.
T-SHIRT POLICY
The safety of all patrons using the City’s swimming pool is the foremost concern of the Parks and Recreation Department. To that end we follow the most stringent safety guidelines for aquatic facilities as endorsed by the American Red Cross and the National Recreation and Park Association’s National Aquatic Program. The City of Houston’s policy prohibits the wearing of T-shirts in swimming pools unless an exemption letter has been accepted and filed in our Aquatics Office. Exemptions are granted based on medical and/or religious reasons, for the wearing of plain white T-shirts only.
Patrons wearing T-shirts in pools are at a higher risk of drowning or being injured. The primary reasons for this risk are as follows:
Lifeguards are trained to scan zones while paying strict attention to detail. It is extremely important for the faces of patrons to be clearly visible at all times whether they are submerged or not. T-shirts tend to “balloon up” thereby covering the face of the patron; thus, the lifeguard cannot see the patron’s facial expressions, and sudden change of facial expressions is among the first signs of patrons experiencing distress in swimming pools.
In addition, patrons wearing T-shirts can be grabbed, either intentionally or inadvertently, causing possible strangulation. If this occurs while the patron is underwater, the patron will ingest some water (the beginning stage of drowning).
The reason for only allowing the use of plain white T-shirts (with no writing) as opposed to T-shirts with print or other colors is to avoid offending anyone with the various statements, pictures and phrases some people wear on their T-shirts. More importantly, colors are affiliated with gangs and gang activity and we want to avoid the kind of serious problems other municipalities have experienced at their pools with gangs. In addition, the dye in colored T-shirts causes the need to increase the amount of chemicals it normally takes to maintain water quality.
If patrons have a medical condition that a physician deems necessary to wear protective clothing when exposed to direct sunlight or the patrons’ religious affiliations require cover, our staff will work with the patrons to ensure their total comfort at our pools. With safety as our primary concern, we are confident that the precautions we take with the T-shirt policy are warranted to avoid the potential for danger to patrons using the City’s swimming pools.
SWIM WEAR EXEMPTION
-Requirements for swimming in City Of Houston Swimming Pools-
White T-shirts are accepted only if they are clean with no writing and legal exemption is on file. Each case will be judged by merit. All exemptions must be on file at 6402 Market St. Houston, TX 77020 / Parks & Recreation Department and at a pool site. Patrons with exemptions will be responsible for keeping their copy of form and presenting it at time of entrance to any facility operated by the City of Houston Aquatics Section.
Exemption letters must be completed by an adult (18 years or older).
