NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS KEEP HEADS ABOVE WATER
In Waynedale, we’ve recently seen quite a few 90-degree days, and it’s certainly not the last of them. Throughout the community, families beat-the-heat by taking a dip in one of Waynedale’s neighborhood pools. Both Avalon Summer Sports Club in the Avalon Place neighborhood and Pocahontas Swim & Dive Club on the west end of Indian Village offer memberships to cool off in the pool and opportunities to participate in summer fun on their grounds.
When Pocahontas Swim & Dive Club opened its Olympic-sized swimming pool back in 1961, it was the first private swim club in Fort Wayne. The pool in Avalon opened shortly after in the following years. During that time, they both offered exclusive memberships that were quite sought-after and often had a long waiting list.
However, in recent years it has been a challenge to keep the pools afloat, according to Kristin Huff, President of the Pocahontas Swim Club. “After some financial issues in 2016 we were at a low point, but after fundraisers and a fresh Board of Directors, we are seeing much more enthusiasm for the Club. Our membership is up and we are working hard to revitalize the pool with projects, such as patching and painting. We’ve also recently added new sand to our volleyball court. The key has been to involve enthusiastic people who add more value to our property and our community of members.”
It may be a common perception to many that newer and larger facilities that offer more activities, such as the YMCA are a direct competitor with neighborhood pools such as the ones in Waynedale, but according to Justin Arkkelin, President of Avalon Summer Sports Club, “The YMCA isn’t really a competitor. People enjoy our pool because it’s quiet and it’s close by for most of our members. But we also have members that come all the way from Southwest Fort Wayne. One of our largest challenges is simply awareness. Many people, even in Avalon [neighborhood], don’t know that there is a pool here.”
Family memberships for the pools are around $400, yearly. Throughout the summer, both of the neighborhood pools offer opportunities to try out the pool’s facilities as well as to meet current members. Each pool has a website and Facebook page for those who would like to learn more information about these fantastic features of the community.
Huff commented, “We represent good, wholesome fun that gets families and kids outdoors, away from digital screens. We have so much to offer, including our swim and dive teams, swim lessons and other fun events throughout the summer. We’ve built a community that our people really enjoy. Come see what we’re about.”
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