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July 31, 2007
Swimming Upstream
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| I swear, I intended to give the existing
parks, future parks, and park facilities thing a rest today. I was all
geared
up to do a post on why black dogs cause less global warming than white
dogs,
and was even willing to live with the inter-canine racial undercurrents
of that topic. But then Jenn Klein writes an article in today's E-R about increased enrollment in CARD's swimming programs. Enrollment is up 50% in some CARD swimming programs. A CARD representative cited a number of program changes that influenced increased public participation. I'm going to put on my marketing cap and solve the mystery of the increase in swimmers. CARD changed the format of their program guide PLAY! recently (cover shown above). And there's something about this summer's guide that might cause people to want to swim, or take their kids for lessons. Can you see what it is? That's right! They're using a pleasing block font that makes people involuntarily recall time spent in the womb. And what activity is closest to lounging around the womb? Bingo! Swimming lessons. Just another example of how advertising works. If you have any other insight let me hear it? Now back to my rant about parks. Chico has three public swimming pools. They are Shapiro Pool (Chico Junior High), Pleasant Valley Pool (used to be at PV High School, but was recently moved to Bidwell Junior High School due to blog reader outrage, see comments below), and Sycamore Pool (1 mile - Lower Bidwell Park). Of the three pools, two are falling apart. A local pool builder has suggested that the only way to fix Shapiro Pool is to tear it out and put in a new one. An additional problem with Shapiro Pool is that it's on the Junior High property, and apparently due to State requirements they can't give up any additional property to the pool. It makes little sense to rebuild Shapiro Pool since that site doesn't accommodate growth in pool use through 2030. It would be better to locate a site for an aquatic park and build a new pool there. DeGarmo Park's unused acreage is one location being discussed. Sycamore Pool, a centerpiece of Chico life, is falling apart. The City is about to put in a new inflatable dam which should reduce mechanical stress on the pool (from varying the water height). Deep fissures are visible along the walls of the pool, and some portions are visibly bowing. At some point, maybe during a winter storm, a wall could simply collapse at Sycamore Pool. I've heard that the cost of environmental studies to rebuild the pool could exceed $1 million dollars. The cost to rebuild the pool will probably be higher than that. On a side note, I mentioned in a CARD Master Plan Citizen Advisory Committee meeting that I love swimming at 1-mile. A number of people commented that the water quality was dangerous, and the pool was a filthy infectious morass. Okay nobody said the last part, but the consensus was that people thought it was yucky. My question to all you naysayers is where else in Chico can Norcal bloggers and Norcal gang-bangers swim with the fish and search for sea-glass? But to change the impression that the water is not clean we should rename it Sycaless Pool. More marketing genius? I think so. Pleasant Valley Pool is reportedly in good shape, and should last another 10 years or so. So what's the point of this post? Increases in swimming lesson enrollment at CARD is a result of good marketing and image use, and program changes that make those classes easier to attend. Increased enrollment will also come with the natural growth of Chico through 2030. Our pool facilities can not handle the increased growth and need to be replaced or fixed. A park bond and converting neighborhood lighting and landscape districts to a city-wide district might allow us to do those things. |
Posted by Lon at July 31, 2007 07:34 AM
Comments
Uh.. Lon, Pleasant Valley Pool is at the Pleasant Valley Recreation Center, located next to Bidwell Junior High School. It has nothing to do with the high school of the same name.
Posted by: Eleanor at July 31, 2007 08:17 AM
Just a clarification -
Pleasant Valley Pool is located at Bidwell Junior High School no Pleasant Valley High School.
Posted by: Dave Brobst at July 31, 2007 08:40 AM
I'm glad that there is finally a discussion about quality of recreation amenities... especially when it comes to our pools. After visiting some of the public/city pools in other towns (Davis, Redding), I am shamed by Chico's offerings. While I love One Mile for its uniqueness (and slippery fun on its slimey bottom), Shapiro and Pleasant Valley pools do not meet the criteria for "hot fun in the summertime."
I hope the continuing CARD discussion moves less towards counting sites and more towards developing ideas for a growing and more sophisticated target market. (aha...I can throw marketing terms around with the best of them!)
Posted by: Withanee at July 31, 2007 09:48 AM
Fellow Citizens,
Thanks for the correction. As many of you know the Old Humboldt Pleasant Valley Swimming Hole used to be located where PV High is. That must have been where I went wrong.
Also, Shapiro Pool, is located at Shapiro High School not Chico Junior. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at July 31, 2007 10:05 AM
Withanee,
Correct implementation of the 4-Ps is essential for fixing brand identity in the publicly funded recreation industry. It's also important to keep in mind the eighty-twenty rule as CARD endeavors to implement market segmentation strategies and at the same time develops parity products for its customer base.
In other words pools with water features like the Davis mushroom and waterslide should be built next to competition pools.
Lon
Posted by: lon at July 31, 2007 10:17 AM
Here is a link to a 360 degree view of Davis' public Arroyo Pool. There is a competition pool and family pool. The family pool has a mushroom shaped fountain and waterslide. Both pools use salt water for chlorination. There is also a snack bar.
There's no reason why Chico can't build facilities like this with the right kind of leadership.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at July 31, 2007 10:51 AM