Local pools welcome warmer waters

The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department announced May 19 that the city’s two outdoor pools, Bryan Park Pool and Mills Pool, are to be equipped with water heaters.

The heaters will raise the water temperature of the pools to a summery 83 degrees and will allow the pools to remain at balmy temperatures even during the cooler early weeks of summer.

The pool business has been hurting with the school calendar beginning earlier every year, said John Turnbull, sports division director for the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.

“We’re trying to catch early business,” Turnbull said.

By placing the heaters in the pool, the Parks and Recreation Department hopes the warmer waters will bring members of the community to the pools earlier in the summer and earlier in the mornings, Turnbull said.

“From exit polls and observations, we know a person’s average visit is about an hour and a half,” he said. “We’re hoping to get people to stay a bit longer.”

The cool water temperatures not only discouraged people from staying at the pools, but also cut into the Parks and Recreation Department’s profits.

Bryan Park Pool offers swimming lessons every year.

According to a press release from the Parks and Recreation Department, parents have historically shied away from the first session because of the brisk temperatures.

The swimming lessons bring in a fair amount of revenue to the Parks and Recreation Department — about $20,000 a year, Turnbull said. 

The heaters were manufactured by Lochinvar and cost about $83,000, according to the press release.

“That’s a one-time cost for a product that will probably last us 25 years,” Turnbull said.
The gas-heaters are also near the top in efficiency, said Mark Sterner, general manager of the Twin Lakes Recreation Center.

However, the heaters do have a couple drawbacks.

The venting mechanism, which prevents the heater from becoming too hot, emits an unpleasant odor.

This can be prevented by starting the heaters during off-hours, Sterner said. They also won’t be running constantly.

The heaters will be started at 10 p.m. and will be shut off around 7 a.m., an hour before the pools open.

“From that point, we’ll rely on the sun to keep the water warm,” Sterner said.

The heaters also feature a “smart system,” which will maximize efficiency by shutting them off automatically once the water hits a desired temperature.

“Projected air temperatures on Memorial Day weekend may be perfect for swimming, but the water in the pool takes a little longer to heat up enough to make swimming fun,” said Mark Miller, aquatics and fitness coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department, in a press release.

“The newly installed pool heaters will be up and running by Wednesday, so the water temperature will be comfortable for swimming this weekend.”

Bryan Park Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Memorial Day weekend, and Mills Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Admission to the pools is $4 for adults and $3 for children ages 17 and younger.