Parks & Recreation 2018 Aquatics Guide

AQ UAT I C S G U I D E 2018 W W W. N R PA . O R G

2018 AQUATICS GUIDE

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contents

1 Aquatix

4 Pristine Pool Water: What’s the Secret?

31 AquaWorx

COMPANY PROFILES

FEATURES

Gregory Schmidt

27 Fountain People/Water Odyssey

8 Dive into Diversity

7 Life Floor

Nicole E. Jacobson

12 Building Motivational Competency Within Your Organization Shannon Keleher, Ph.D., CPRE, AFO

15 Lincoln Aquatics 11 Mid-America Pool Renovation, Inc.

16 Four Things in Aquatics that Need to Change George Deines

24 What Do Waterpark Facility Operators Do in the Winter?

Brad Anderson

25 Spectrum Aquatics 28 Vortex C3 Waterplay Solutions

30 AFO Calendar

29 WhiteWater West Industries

32 Advertiser Index

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Pristine Pool Water:

What’s the Secret?

T

By Gregory Schmidt

he secret to having your pool pristine, crystal clear and free of “chlorine odor” is simple. It’s all about ORP: Oxidation Reduction Potential. I like to think of ORP as oxidizing power; the more, the better, to fight poor clarity and chlorine smell. Although there are many ways to attain proper ORP, let’s just establish that ORP is the key. To provide sanitization (or to kill the rankand-file bacteria), it doesn’t take much ORP: 650 mV or more will do it. I suggest you maintain ORP of 850 mV or more, and here’s how: ORP vs. pH One critical relationship for every pool/ spa operator to understand is how ORP and pH relate and interact. In general, the lower your pH, the higher your ORP, and vice-versa. The two factors are inversely proportional. When you’re the pool operator, here is a nugget to hold onto: If you keep your pool’s pH as low as your state code will allow (typically around 7.2), you will be able to maintain high ORP levels (850+ mV) at a reasonable chlorine residual of around

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3.0–4.0 PPM. Most states will allow pools to maintain a residual of up to 10.0 PPM, so that is a sweet spot. I have my pH set point at 7.3, because the local Department of Health (DOH) tests it at 7.2 whenever they come in. So, my test kit typically measures PPM of 4.0–5.0 PPM. To make sure the DOH won’t get a test under 7.2, thus making me out of compliance, 7.3 provides me with a tiny cushion.

In the AFO course, instructors like myself point out very graphically that

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high pH kills ORP and, thus, chlorine effectiveness. Although you cannot keep the pH low enough to provide 100 percent chlorine effectiveness, you can certainly maximize the potential by keeping it as close to 7.2 as possible.

Never let your pH get to the “ideal pH of your eye of 7.5.” Why not? Honestly, that old standard is simply not true.

Several clinical studies have been done that demonstrate that human tears are not just 7.5, but often much more acidic, and can be as low as 6.5. One direct measurement study, titled “Normal Human Tear pH by Direct Measurement,” and published in the JAMA Ophthalmology in 1981 by Udell, Weston and Abelson, showed the range of tear pH was found to be between 6.5–7.6, with the mean at 7.0. That’s good news for operators! Remember too that pH is

logarithmic, so 7.5 is not just 0.3 times higher than 7.2, but 3.0 times higher! At a pH of 7.0, your free chlorine (HOCl) is about 75 percent effective, and at the “ideal” pH of 7.5, it is only about 50 percent effective! At a pH of 8.0, it’s down to about 25 percent effective. As I stated at the beginning of this article, “it’s all about ORP!” Keep your pH as close to 7.2 as possible to maintain high ORP at a reasonable chlorine residual.

Maintaining the Pristine Water Do whatever it takes within your unique system to keep ORP at or above 850 mV. If your bather load is light, like mine, I can maintain constant breakpoint and 850 mV with just gas chlorine and CO2 for keeping the pH low. This requires paying attention to the system to make sure there are no ORP dips

where chlorine is permitted to combine into chloramines that are not immediately oxidized and removed. If your bather load is heavy, you’ll likely need to supplement with a secondary oxidizer, like medium pressure UV, to prevent dips in ORP that cause problems. Once you have achieved a breakpoint combined chlorine of zero, watch closely to maintain the ORP, and it should not return — because you won’t allow it to.

We also teach in AFO that pristine water is 2/3 oxidation and 1/3 filtration. So, your filters also need to work, but they are secondary to the high ORP. Keep them functioning properly, and allow them to get a little dirty so they filter better than when they’re just cleaned.

Control the Controller Your high-priced chemical controller is

only as good as the operator who keeps the probes clean and calibrated against the test kit. Because your ORP probe cannot be calibrated by you, watch it for reading too low vs. the usual PPM at your specified set point. For example, if mine is reading 830 mV, but the water is testing at 8.0 PPM FAC, 0.0 CC and 7.3 pH, that is a red flag. The ORP is clearly much higher than that! I would clean the probe and watch it for a couple more days. If it continues to read low, it’s time for a new one. Remember, a worn out ORP probe will mess up your sweet spot, so adhere to these two magic words: pay attention!

Gregory Schmidt is the Eastern Washington University Aquatic Center Manager, an AFO Instructor and a Member of NRPA’s AFO Exam & Certification Committees (leos@ewu.edu).

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ife Floor is a foam-rubber flooring system designed for use in wet areas with barefoot traffic. Created as an alternative to concrete and other conventional materials, Life Floor is the only safety surface specifically designed and engineered to perform in aquatic environments. Life Floor combines award-winning safety with unparalleled design capabilities, delivered by an expert team committed to a world-class experience for everyone who interacts with our products. All over the world, people trust Life Floor to make their aquatic environments look and feel extraordinary.

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comfortable while walking, standing and playing in the water. With our 3/8-inchthick tiles, your pool decks, multilevel play structures, and water play areas have a 1-foot to 0-inch critical fall height. Life Floor tiles can also be layered to meet the fall-height requirements in your facility.

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Dive into Diversity

Some of the aquatics department staff for the Milwaukee Public Schools Department of Recreation and Community Services.

By Nicole E. Jacobson

M

ilwaukee, Wisconsin, is a very diverse city. With a population of nearly 600,000, it consists of 75 designated neighborhoods. As such, it is imperative that the individuals delivering recreation services reflect this diversity. The ability to meet this need has been especially challenging in the aquatics arena. However, through the implementation of several creative strategies, the Milwaukee Public Schools Department of Recreation and Community Services (aka Milwaukee Recreation) now boasts a highly diverse aquatics workforce.

What strategies did we use to grow and retain this diverse team?

Changing the Dynamic Swim has always been my passion, and in August 2004, I landed my dream job of aquatics supervisor for Milwaukee Recreation. One of the first things I noticed was that swim lessons offered in middle-class neighborhoods throughout our city had good participation numbers,

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while those in poorer areas did not. So, I set out to change this dynamic and to build a program that was more reflective of the city I served.

Planting the Seeds I began by conducting both a market and program analysis of our aquatics

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classes and making the necessary adjustments to ensure programming was adequate throughout our city. Adding and nurturing learn-to-swim programs in underserved areas of our community took 3–5 years to reach capacity but has proven successful.

A fundamental pillar of our strategy is making personal connections with families to encourage swim participants to remain in our program until they are age-eligible for training and employment. This has proven successful in creating a pipeline to cultivate young swimmers into part-time employees. In addition, our three novice-level swim teams attract swimmers who complete

levels 4–5. This allows swimmers to further develop their skill sets until they join a high school team and/or are recruited for employment as lifeguards and swim instructors.

Connecting the Coaches In Milwaukee, swim was a sport in decline at the onset of the new millennium. Schools could no longer support teams for both boys and girls and began

lenges can be communicating via technology and, at times, physical stamina.

Our 50+-year-old crew members, work in all areas of aquatics: lifeguarding, fitness, coaching, adaptive aquatics and learn to swim. They are often the most sought-after instructors, and the best part is there is less turnover. On average, they have a 7- to 10-year tenure whereas the average tenure for 16- to 21-year-old workers is 2–3 years.

Having a diverse staff has made it easier for instructors to connect with the community members they serve, and as a result, we have seen an improvement in customer retention and customer growth. to merge schools into co-op teams. Even then, numbers suffered. To incentivize coaches, we introduced a no-cut policy that resulted in a growth in participation and allowed for the addition of an assistant coach for many teams. Athletes with minimal swim experience were getting involved and benefited from instruction that focused on technique and stamina provided by the assistant coach. “Making varsity” was no longer the only reason to join swim, and this practice created a recruiting pipeline for seasonal lifeguard jobs.

The Mamas, Papas and Grandmas?

Many parents who enroll children in swim programs have previous aquatic experience, making them ideal candidates for your aquatics team. Individuals over 50 years old, recruited from the stands at youth swimming programs and adult instructional swim programs, have been an invaluable addition to our staff. The benefits of having them as staff members typically include increased reliability, maturity and wisdom, while the chal

Grow the Seeds You Plant Eight out of 10 of our aquatics leadership training team members are “homegrown.” They started with us as lifeguards, were promoted and trained to become swim instructors and then were selected to join the lifeguard instructor program. Internal promotion builds a culture of respect for all team members along the chain of command. Our administrative team is composed of individuals with similar experience. We have all worked at every level of our department. Selecting trainers who reflect the diversity of the crew is essential; it fosters learning and respect. Members of the crew are selected to join the leadership team every two years, and our leadership cadre all share a 7- to 10-year tenure.

In 2004, the aquatics team was approximately 90 percent 16- to 21-year-olds and 95 percent white. In 2017, our team was 45 percent people of color and up to 20 percent were over 50 years old.

Conclusion There is a Chinese proverb that says that

if I’m going to learn from you, I first need to make a connection to you. Having a diverse staff has made it easier for instructors to connect with the community members they serve, and as a result, we have seen an improvement in customer retention and customer growth.

In 2004, we had 5,000 annual swimmers enrolled in our program. Ten years later, participation has grown by 50 percent to 7,500. Throughout this time, the diversity of our aquatics staff has changed immensely and, for our department and those we serve, that was the growth that has mattered most.

Nicole E. Jacobson is the Aquatics Supervisor for Milwaukee Public Schools Department of Recreation and Community Services and a Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross (jacobsne@milwaukee.k12. wi.us).

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Building Motivational Competency Within Your Organization

By Shannon Keleher, Ph.D., CPRE, AFO

M

y career in parks and recreation began when I joined a swim team more than 20 years ago. From there, I accepted a job as a lifeguard, which morphed into a swim instructor/coach position, turned into a pool manager position and paved the way to where I am today — director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Frisco, Texas. Over the years, I have seen many successful aquatics operations and many that have failed terribly due to a lack of leadership and of staff motivation. I have dedicated a lot of time studying how best to motivate those around me so they can be the best they can be. I have also come to realize that building a positive organizational culture and placing competent, well-adjusted leaders in key positions are two of the most important pieces in accomplishing this.

Motivation Motivation can be positive or negative, intrinsic or extrinsic. Research tells us that to truly have motivated staff, we must help them “want” to do the work they are hired to do, meaning they are intrinsically, positively motivated. At

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its most basic level, motivation can be defined as “the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.”

Synonyms include enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative and determination.

Our aquatics staff is charged with a tremendous amount of responsibility, often

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for minimal pay in contrast to the risk and liability inherently present in their jobs. As supervisors and leaders, we expect them to be both well-trained and diligent in their duties so they are ready to act on a moment’s notice. These critical staff are often teenagers and are seasonal. For many it is their first job. They are beyond excited and extremely motivated on their first day. But, how do we inspire them to stay that way throughout the entire summer and create a culture that inspires them to return year after year?

Consider the environment, the culture, that we hire staff into. Is it a positive environment where staff members are recognized for their efforts instead of being constantly criticized for what they are doing

wrong? I highly recommend a book, titled Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships, by Ken Blanchard as a tool to begin building a positive organizational culture.

It focuses on the ability of the trainers at SeaWorld to get some of the most feared predators in the ocean, killer whales, to perform amazing acrobatic feats. As the story unfolds, the chief trainer explains that most people assume that they force the whales to perform in the shows, punishing them when they fail to cooperate.

He then reveals the techniques they use: building trust, accentuating the positive and redirecting negative behavior. By using these tools, the whales want to perform and choose to do so on their own. This book has become the culture of the past two organizations I have worked with.

Instead of waiting to catch someone doing something wrong (the GOTcha approach), supervisors and managers are constantly watching for an opportunity to give staff a Whale Done! for doing something right or almost right. When they do observe that behavior, they immediately

give praise, are specific about what was done right or almost right, share positive feelings about what occurred and encourage the employee to keep up the good work. The Whale Done! approach, when used consistently, creates an environment where staff want to be instead of where they must be to earn a paycheck. It creates an environment where everyone is looking for an opportunity to praise one another rather than tear each other down.

Leadership In addition to a positive environment, it is important to have the right leaders in place.

A competent, well-adjusted leader makes employees feel trusted, valued, appreciated, empowered, involved, challenged and on a mission. He or she has the ability to care and be concerned for others, the desire to be successful and the ability to handle stress, to think logically and to have fun (we do work in recreation after all). These individuals are best known for enlisting staff as solution finders, providing feedback, spreading the word, sharing their

talents and providing support. These leaders make it a priority to learn each person’s name and treat them as individuals, understand that an employee will live “up” or “down” to expectations, provide learning experiences that are challenging and that allow for growth and allow employees the opportunity to contribute to the decisions within the organization. They are visible and accessible, provide on-going evaluations, constantly communicate, share beliefs and visions, show appreciation, ask staff members to evaluate them, provide opportunities for professional growth and lead by example.

By creating a positive organizational culture and ensuring competent, welladjusted leaders are in place, you are setting up your team for success. Teamwork and motivation will be high, absenteeism low, and staff will return season after season because they want to be there, not because they have to be there.

Shannon Keleher, Ph.D., CPRE, AFO, is Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Frisco, Texas (skeleher@friscotexas.gov).

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Four Things in Aquatics that Need to Change

By George Deines

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’ve heard the world of aquatics described by my aquatic professional colleagues across the country as multifaceted, ever-changing, demanding, sophisticated, rewarding and fun. I agree with all these descriptors and because there are so many descriptors, aquatic professionals must remain proactive and constantly think about ways to change, evolve and improve their operation to ensure the safety of their guests and the success of their operation.

I believe there are four areas in which the aquatics industry must change to maintain its relevancy for the next 10 to 20 years. While not everyone reading this article may agree with my assessment, I hope at a minimum that it will spark

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discussion to help aquatic professionals think about and continually analyze and evaluate their aquatics operation.

I also see this article reaching three different audiences: • professionals ahead of the curve who

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have already taken a proactive approach to the areas I mention • professionals who have addressed a few of the areas, but need some help in implementing all of them • professionals who have recently inherited an aquatics operation and need to address these areas.

Community Outreach and Drowning Prevention The first area where I see the need for immediate change is in the relationship

between aquatic professionals and their approach to community water safety and drowning prevention. I believe that local aquatic professionals should lead the way and “hold the torch” in their community for the education of parents and children about water safety, both in the commercial and residential setting. They not only should emphasize water safety at all their facilities and in all their programs, but also should develop and implement water safety events at their facility and develop partnerships with the local school districts in order to present assemblies to students and workshops to parents.

From the facility point of view, many agencies have an annual or semiannual water safety community outreach event where they have booths set up that each emphasize a different aspect of water safety, from how to safely take your children

to the local pool or aquatic center, to the layers of protection needed at residential pools to ensure children do not get into the backyard pool without adult supervision. Several avenues for materials exist, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Pool Safely campaign (www.poolsafely.gov), as well as the World Waterparks Association’s annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (https://tinyurl.com/ya5ln5ta).

As a former municipal aquatics manager who developed and presented a 30-minute water safety presentation for local schools, I found that school districts will gladly welcome you into their school during the month of May to present this information to their students. Not only does its coincide with National Water Safety Month, but more and more states now include water safety standards in

their curriculum. For example, the State of California specifically calls out water safety information, “Evaluate the risk and safety factors that may affect participation aquatic activities throughout a lifetime.”

A partnership with local schools establishes a win-win situation for everyone and allows you to teach students how to be “SAFE” in and around the water: • Stay with children – Parents must be with their children at all times.

• Always be attentive – Parents must not only be with their children, but be attentive to them at all times (i.e., not on a cell phone).

• Fear the water – Parents much teach their children the dangers that are present with any body of water.

• Educate your children – Parents must proactively teach their children about how to properly behave around the water.

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Portraying Aquatics as an Essential Service “But, how much will the aquatic center cost to operate and what percentage of its costs will it recover?” This question comes up in 99.9 percent of public meetings where I present various options for a new or renovated aquatic center. It’s a great question; however, I’ve seen the question asked disproportionately about aquatic centers for the past four years, but not asked with regard to other municipal services, such as libraries, the arts and even non-aquatic recreation centers.

Elected officials or the general public ask this question because, I believe, they inherently view aquatics as a nonessential service to their community. I also believe they hold to this position because they have not been told about the true value that an aquatic center brings or could bring to their community, value that they should not measure in annual expenses versus revenues. Unfortunately, they do not see the value of aquatics because their local aquatic professionals, aquatic user groups or parks and recreation leadership have not adequately explained it to them and shown them the difference aquatics makes in their community.

A great example of this occurred one summer when I coached a summer league 18 Parks & Recreation

swim team. One of my swimmers won an event at the state meet, and I found out that our city council wanted to recognize that swimmer. This achievement spurred a keen interest in the value of aquatics in my city, which eventually led to me presenting to the parks and recreation board about the tremendous impact our summer swim team had on the community.

The program grew from 40 swimmers to 250 over the course of seven years and expanded from a summer-only program to also include a winter season and spring stroke clinics in anticipation of summer.

Now, the impact of the swim team existed whether or not we had a swimmer win the state meet, but that event proved to be the catalyst to publicly promoting the value of aquatics to a much wider audience than we had previously done.

Aquatic professionals should proactively communicate the value and impact of aquatics in their community with their upper management. They can accomplish this by regularly sharing the number of swim lessons taught, adults in water fitness classes, daily lap swimmers and so on. This will help provide your city’s decision makers with the information they need to ensure they view aquatics as an essential service — not just something that’s nice to have.

Enhanced Standards for Aquatic Safety and Risk Management Safety should be atop the list of most important keys to a successful operation for any aquatics professional. Sometimes, whether intentional or not, they deemphasize it. But, how can aquatic professionals unintentionally de-emphasize safety? They do so by not stressing the simple fact that “something could happen today.”

As I visit aquatic facilities across the country, I have noticed a common theme: lifeguards who are distracted.

It’s important that lifeguards maintain the primary signs of vigilance: a “res-

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cue ready” body position, attentiveness to the swimmers in the pool and their designated zone, and changing their position every few minutes to stay alert.

Unfortunately, lifeguards exhibit these distracted behaviors because they have become learned behaviors as a result of poor training and/or not being well-supervised. Well-trained lifeguards are the result of vigilant and dedicated supervisors who model the type of behavior they would like to see exhibited by their staff and hold them accountable for their behavior, training and actions.

Whether you use the American Red Cross, StarGuard, NASCO or Ellis & Associates as your lifeguard certification agency, any of these groups can help you implement a risk-management program.

I’ve worked in the aquatics industry since my first summer lifeguarding in 1994, and I don’t know of a good reason for not working with your certifying agency to perform unannounced facility audits on your lifeguards and facility operations. Obtaining an outside professional audit, ensures you and your facility have implemented the highest standards for safety and risk management. Audits give you a snapshot analysis of your operation so that you get an outside opinion on any unsafe behaviors exhibited by your lifeguards and supervisors, on outdated training methods or programs and on proper documentation of your daily operations. Audits should be the standard, not the exception!

Developing Aquatic Facility Middle Management Every aquatic facility should develop and implement an aquatic supervisor training program that adequately teaches parttime and full-time supervisors the demands and importance of their job. When you see an aquatic supervisor sitting on the job, scrolling through their mobile phone, reading a book or doing anything other than actively walking their facility

and supervising their team members, the need exists for a supervisor training program at that facility. Unfortunately, I see the above-mentioned behaviors far too often when visiting aquatic facilities.

During my time as an aquatic director, I had an experience that served to change my approach to aquatics operations forever. It happened at the end of a busy weekend at the beginning of the summer, when, except for one individual, my lifeguard team members and I started to clean the facility. That individual just sat on a bench watching everyone else work. When one of my part-time supervisors noticed him and asked, “What are you doing?” without skipping a beat he replied, “I’m training to be a manager.” While he responded in a somewhat snarky tone, the truth behind the comment was startling. From his limited time working under the supervisors

that I had hired and trained (not very well apparently), he viewed them as lazy and complacent. And, he thought that if he stayed around long enough, then he might be promoted to supervisor, and he could act just like them.

At that moment, I knew that something had to change, and I went to work creating a custom, weekend-long, supervisor training program that encompassed not only the ins and outs of their position and daily responsibilities, but also the “why” behind those responsibilities. Merely training my supervisors on how to do everything would not be enough, I had to train them on the importance of those things. The culture of our operations and the engagement and productivity of our supervisor team immediately skyrocketed, evidenced by our lifeguard and guest services retention rates and lifeguard audit scores. Through this process, I came to

WaterLink

the following three conclusions: • The culture of your aquatics operation depends on you developing a great one.

• The success of implementing your culture depends on middle management.

• As Sasha Mateer from Deep River Waterpark likes to say, “Great lifeguards don’t always make great supervisors.”

Conclusion While these four areas I’ve detailed are not the only area in aquatics that need to change, I think they all need attention from aquatics professionals across the country. We must remain proactive in our thinking and innovative in our implementation to ensure we keep our guests safe and our facilities operating at the highest level possible for years to come.

George Deines is Studio Director for CounsilmanHunsaker (georgedeines@chh2o.com).

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Parks & Recreation

19

Everyone Deserves a Park Within a 10-Minute Walk Parks are essential to the physical, social, environmental, and economic health of a community. That’s why The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute are leading a nationwide movement to ensure there’s a great park within a 10-minute walk of every person, in every neighborhood, in every city across America.

How Can You Get Involved?

• Sign-on or encourage your Mayor to support the campaign • Share this opportunity in your region • Stayed tuned for funding opportunities and how to become part of the network

Contact Rachel Banner at rbanner@nrpa.org for more information

www.10MinuteWalk.org

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Hayward, Hayward & Design, the H logo, CAT Controllers, CAT 3500, CAT 4000, CAT 5000, CAT 5500, CrystaLogic and Saline C are registered trademarks and HydroRite and Totally Hayward are trademarks of Hayward Industries, Inc. © 2018 Hayward Industries, Inc.

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Hayward, Hayward & Design, the H logo, CAT Controllers, CAT 3500, CAT 4000, CAT 5000, CAT 5500, CrystaLogic and Saline C are registered trademarks and HydroRite and Totally Hayward are trademarks of Hayward Industries, Inc. © 2018 Hayward Industries, Inc.

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What Do Waterpark Facility Operators Do in the Winter?

By Brad Anderson

W

hen asked about what I do for a living, especially during the winter months, and I say I am an aquatics facility supervisor, which includes the operation of a waterpark, the question that usually follows is “What do you do in the winter?” I always get a chuckle out of the question and often say, “Nothing, I only work three months out of the year, that’s why I chose this field.” Of course, I then explain that like many others who operate outdoor facilities, the summer months are spent enjoying the ride from the preparation we did during the off-season. Yes, outdoor pools and waterparks are a year-round job.

Today, as many areas of the country are dealing with colder, wintry weather, it’s difficult to fathom that the warm,

24 Parks & Recreation

sun-filled days of summer are only a few short months away. This is the time that outdoor facility operators are juggling

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many tasks preparing for the upcoming season, and following are a few of those off-season tasks and the time frame in which they occur: Facility Evaluation Preparation for the season begins during the operating season with evaluating staff and operations. It’s the best time to take notes on how to improve the many facets of operating a seasonal facility.

What repairs will be needed in the off-

season, will there be the opportunity to add a new amenity or upgrade, replace equipment or possibly a POS or other non-aquatic equipment? Do staffing levels need to increase, decrease or stay the same? How can operations enhance the guest experience? This is the time when you can directly talk to staff and guests and get their view points on their experience of the facility.

Winterizing Depending on the location of the facility, preparations for the winter months will vary. Some areas can leave their pools full and circulate the water yearround, while other areas must drain their pools, blow out the pipes and cover the pools. During my 33 years in the field, I have learned that the more prep I do in terms of cleaning and winterizing the pool, the easier spring startup becomes. Lounge chairs are cleaned, repaired, covered and stored so they are ready to go when it’s time for opening. Repair and replacement of failed parts are completed on the pool equipment, and any slide problems are addressed and can be scheduled for repair when many contractors are more readily available.

Hiring I send out letters of intent for prospective staff members in December, which allows plenty of time to determine who will be returning for the next season. I like to revisit my notes from the previous season to see which staff members have matured over the years, and reach out to let them know I would like them to apply for a lead position. December is also a time to look at incentives for hires to make sure the incentive aligns with the budget. In January, I contact area high schools and inquire about job fairs or about when I can set up a table in a commons or lunch area to recruit staff. By mid-January, I have a pretty

good idea about which staff members will be returning and the number of vacant positions. My goal each year is to have staff on board my mid-March so training can begin.

Marketing During the months of November and December, you should be working on putting together the marketing for the

facility. Evaluate what worked the previous year, determine if the targeted area needs to be increased or scaled back, and always be on the lookout for innovative ways to market to the different demographic groups. All marketing doesn’t need to be paid advertising. Social media is still a popular method, but keep in mind that the material must be appropriate for the demographics of your facility.

During the months of November and December, you should be working on putting together the marketing for the facility.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Spectrum Aquatics

S

pectrum Aquatics designs and manufactures high-quality custom rails, ADA pool and spa lifts and commercial-grade pool deck equipment. Spectrum has great products, skilled employees, knowledgeable engineers, and an excellent customer service and sales staff. Spectrum Aquatics strives to consistently exceed expectations and to be

the total solution provider for our customers. From inquiry to installation, Spectrum Aquatics is here for our customers and the Aquatics community.

800.791.8056 www.spectrumaquatics.com

W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | A Q UAT I C S G U I D E 2 0 1 8 |

Parks & Recreation

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In January, I contact area high schools and inquire about job fairs or about when I can set up a table in a commons or lunch area to recruit staff.

Repairs Have a list of repairs and capital items that need to be completed and prioritize the list. Depending on the organization, review the purchase requirements. Secure two or three quotes for the work to be performed and be sure to check references of previous work completed by the company. Make sure to schedule the repairs as soon as possible: waiting too

long can impede the work from being completed on time.

Pool Prep Filling the pools is always a sign that pool season is close. May 1 is a good deadline by which to have the pools filled, circulating, filtering and heating and allows some lead way to ensure the equipment is operating properly. I have

had the unfortunate experience of having a major pool leak when I was pouring and finishing deck concrete two days prior to opening for the season. By completing the pool operation, there’s time to address a problem and get repairs completed prior to opening.

It’s just a few short months before Memorial Day Weekend, historically when outdoor pool season begins around the country. As a pool operator, my greatest gratification comes when I hear the splashing, laughter and the guests leaving the pool exhausted and saying, “That was fun!”

Brad Anderson is the Program/Facility Supervisor for the City of Englewood, Colorado, and an Aquatic Facility Operator Instructor and Aquatic Facility Operator Instructor Trainer (brad@andersonaquatics.com).

60,000+

community members NRPA Connect gives you access to an online network of individuals, experiences and knowledge that help you be great at what you do.

14,000+

discussion posts

3,000+

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www.nrpaconnect.org 26 Parks & Recreation

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Water Odyssey™ by Fountain People

W

ater Odyssey™ by Fountain People, a PlayCore company, is a leading designer and manufacturer of aquatic play equipment for spray parks, waterparks and aquatic facilities. Water Odyssey works with park and recreation professionals, architects, consultants and end-users around the world to create unique aquatic play experiences that promote inclusive play, socialization, learning and family fun.

From ground sprays, dumping buckets, architecturally inspired spray features and multilevel aquatic play structures, to water management systems specifically designed for spray parks, Water Odyssey boasts a diverse product offering unmatched by any other. All aquatic play products are manufactured in the USA and undergo a rigorous quality-control process prior to shipment. These products are made of the highest quality materials and available to be coated with AquaArmor™, the toughest, most durable finish in the industry.

Municipalities are faced with the issues of high operating costs associated with aquatics, water scarcity and safety. That’s why Water Odyssey is dedicated to providing solutions that

focus on many facets of play and design considerations, including team building and socialization, inclusive play, ADA accessibility, water conservation, safety and experiential play that tells a story with theming.

From planning and designing to post-sale support, our professional staff provides assistance every step of the way. Let us help you with your next aquatic play experience.

512.392.1155 www.waterodyssey.com

Creating Fun Ways to Spray & Play!

From contemporary designs to fun themes, we work with you to develop innovative aquatic play equipment and environments.

CONTACT US FOR YOUR NEXT AQUATIC PLAY EXPERIENCE. 512.392.1155 | www.waterodyssey.com

W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | A Q UAT I C S G U I D E 2 0 1 8 |

Parks & Recreation

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Vortex Aquatic Structures International

V

ortex Aquatic Structures International, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, was founded in 1995 with the introduction of the first Splashpad®. Vortex has grown into the world leader in aquatic play, with more than 7,000 installations in 45 countries and 11 offices worldwide. The company’s commitment to innovation has been recognized with product innovation and project awards, and has driven significant growth.

Vortex was named to the PROFIT 500 – Canada’s fastest growing companies for three consecutive years. Splashpad® is a dynamic, zero-depth aquatic play area that

RETHINK YOUR POOLS & TURN THEM INTO ACTIVITY HUBS Create engaging multi-level adventure in a stimulating environment with unique aquatic play. All through the wonder of water.

World leader in aquatic play solutions with over 7,000 installations worldwide 1.866.586.7839 (USA/CA) | info@vortex-intl.com

VORTEX-INTL.COM

28 Parks & Recreation

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provides accessible and engaging play experiences for the entire family; our innovative new Explora collection offers a new gateway for kids to explore the wonder of water. Splashpads can be designed to fit any space and have low-flow options that reduce water usage while maintaining play value. Vortex also provides Elevations™ and Waterslide structures that add an extra dimension to splashpads or pools.

866.586.7839 (USA/CA) www.vortex-intl.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WhiteWater

W

hiteWater, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of Waterpark attractions, has been serving U.S. municipalities for more than 30 years. Our Parks and Recreation Division is dedicated to the needs of the municipal market, providing a full range of products that will thrill and engage guests of all ages. Whether your project requires an exciting waterslide or an interactive water play area, we have the know-how and experience to serve you on-time and on-budget.

Built to last, our best-in-class slides can be tailored to kids, teens, and families, and can be designed to fit within any site requirements. Add a WhiteWater slide to your park and create an iconic attraction that’s sure to wow your guests or keep teens engaged with our FlowRider surf waves. Our AquaPlay play structure is an all-in-one waterpark solution that comes in an assortment of sizes and configurations. Specially designed to engage children for hours, AquaPlay’s interactive elements allow hundreds of guests to join in on the fun at one time.

Experienced in partnering with municipalities across the United States, our team of experts is here to help turn visions into

realities. From our online Design Center to our Parks and Recreation-devoted Slidepath Designer, we make it quick and easy for you to get the deliverables you need, when you need them.

To learn more about WhiteWater or to get in touch with our Parks and Recreation team, visit www.whitewaterwest.com.

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THE MOST INTENSE AND EXCITING SLIDE PACKAGE IN THE SOUTH.

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W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | A Q UAT I C S G U I D E 2 0 1 8 |

Parks & Recreation

29

Find an AFO Course Near You The Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) program provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date training for pool operators and includes information on water chemistry, disinfection, mechanical systems, operations, healthy pools and safety.

To get certified, find a course in your area and then go online to www.nrpa.org/ certification/AFO/afo-course-schedule/ for instructions on how to register today!

FEBRUARY

MAY

3-4 Ceres, California

2-3 Houston, Texas

13-14 Sacramento, California

3-4 Jupiter, Florida

13-14 Kapolei, Hawaii

7-8 Athens, Ohio

22-23 Orlando, Florida

10-11 San Diego, California

28-March 1 Moore, Oklahoma

17-18 Milpitas, California

MARCH

SEPTEMBER

1-2 Fort Collins, Colorado

10-11 Gainesville, Florida

1-2 Seattle, Washington

27-28 Ceres, California

6-7 Ellensburg, Washington

OCTOBER

8-9 Canton, Michigan

14-15 Ashburn, Virginia

14-15 Lawrence, Kansas

NOVEMBER

15-16 Margate, Florida

28-30 Cheney, Washington

29-30 North Miami, Florida

23-24 Sacramento, California

15-16 Las Vegas, Nevada

APRIL

5-6 Riverside, California

5-6 Marathon, Florida

9-10 Brookhaven, Georgia

19-20 Austin, Texas

25-26 Fife, Washington

26-27 Derby, Kansas

26-27 Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

28-29 Gainesville, Florida

30 Parks & Recreation

AFO Instructor Workshop

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The Aquatic Facility Operator Instructor (AFOI) Workshop is an exclusive professional development opportunity designed to prepare new instructors to teach the AFO certification course.

When: March 12–13, 2018 Where: National Recreation and Park Association, Ashburn, Virginia Learn More at http://www.nrpa.org/ certification/AFO/afo-instructorworkshop/.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

AquaWorx

A

quaWorx has grown to become the benchmark for packaged commercial aquatics equipment, water toys, splash pads and waterslides — well established as one of the premiere fiberglass specialists in the industry. Unlike our competitors, we entered the business on the hydraulics design and manufacturing side of this industry. As a result, AquaWorx is uniquely prepared to address aspects of aquatic performance far beyond just the features themselves. We not only design and fabricate the finest water features, water play structures and waterslides available in the marketplace, but also engineer and build complete pumping and filtration systems.

Our superior design and manufacturing standards have resulted in an ever-increasing number of customers and design professionals that insist on having AquaWorx as the standard for their aquatics projects. We design, engineer and fabricate in our Florida facility and are always accessible for consultation and factory support. Over the last several years we have grown to become the largest packaged filtration manufacturer in the recreational aquatics industry and a premier manufacturer of

water features and water slides. Our in-house design team can bring conceptual thoughts and ideas to light to create completed safe and fun aquatic play environments.

When we say that we offer “The Worx” from concept to completion, we can genuinely do it, and we do every day! We are the only true quality single-source for your aquatic needs.

Visit our website or contact us to discover why AquaWorx is the best choice for you.

888-426-8511 www.AquaWorxusa.com

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Parks & Recreation

31

Ad Index Aquatix by Landscape Structures.......................................1 AquaWorx................................................................................ 31

Pentair.......................................................................................C4 Reno Systems..........................................................................C2

Fountain People/Water Odyssey..................................... 27 Hayward Industries........................................................ 21, 22 LaMotte..................................................................................... 19

Spectrum Aquatics............................................................... 25 Vortex........................................................................................ 28

Life Floor......................................................................................7 Lincoln Aquatics.................................................................... 15 Mid-America Pool Renovation, Inc. ................................ 11

Waterplay Solutions.............................................................C3 WhiteWater West Industries.............................................. 29

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32 Parks & Recreation

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Waterplay Solutions

W

ith thousands of installations across the world, Waterplay is excited to be part of the movement toward a healthier, happier global community by offering innovative aquatic play solutions designed for developing minds, thrill seekers, budding explorers and the young at heart. Our full suite of products provides a complete solution for your next aquatic facility design.

AQUATIC PLAY COLLECTIONS are comprised of freestanding play elements, designed to adapt to any environment.

Each collection features creative product and color groupings to tell the story of your play theme — from a breezy shoreline alive with spinning kites and spraying sea turtles, to a nature-inspired oasis with a flowing stream and nautical voyages packed with fun for all ages.

Bring the whole family together with ACTIVITY TOWERS by Waterplay.

Make room for everyone with the industry’s most spacious decks and play value from the ground up — starting with gentle sprays at the tower base to winding waterslides and sky-high soakers. Activity Towers adapt to any environment (zero-depth, sloped entry and pool spaces) while the playCONNECT™ mounting system simplifies installation, maintenance, future expansions and reinventions.

Take WATER MANAGEMENT to the next level with the smartPLAY™ controller featuring automated data reporting, maintenance scheduling and remote-access capabilities. Choose from recirculation, retain and reuse, and flowthrough systems to find the right solution for your project.

A great addition to aquatic facilities, community spaces, holiday parks, hotels and resorts, housing developments, waterparks and attractions — visit www.waterplay.com to learn more and join our movement to connect the world through play.

800.590.5552 +1 (250) 712.3393 (INTL) www.waterplay.com

Create a play space that connects your community.

A QUATIC PLAY F EA TUR ES A CTIVITY TOW ER S WA TE R MA NA GEM ENT

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worldwide provider of aquatic play solutions.

W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | A Q UAT I C S G U I D E 2 0 1 8 |

Parks & Recreation

IBC