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Apache Junction pool season draws 18,000-plus visits; staff report capacity, lessons and sponsorships
Summary
Aquatics staff reported 18,389 summer attendances, several capacity limits during June weekends, expansion of swim‑lesson sponsorships and a large seasonal staff including 29 instructors and 44 lifeguards.
The commission heard a report on the 2025 Superstition Shadows Aquatic Center season, which drew 18,389 patrons over the summer and reached capacity on three consecutive weekends in June.
Julia Feroldi, the recreation coordinator for aquatics, told commissioners, “This season, we were able to offer open swim Monday through Sunday… and our total attendance for the summer was 18,389 people.” She added that the facility’s safety capacity is 400 people; when attendance approaches that number staff will ask arriving patrons to wait and allow people to enter as others leave.
Staff reported five regular swim‑lesson sessions plus one Saturday session sponsored by SRP, and a $500 contribution from the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona for swim‑lesson scholarships for Apache Junction children. The department also offered infant through adult lessons and reported they had two adult lesson participants this year.
Special events and programming included nine aquatic special events (April Pools Day, summer kickoff, two dive‑in movies, Pirates vs. Mermaids, teen night and other family events). The Fourth‑of‑July sponsored by State Farm drew about 592 patrons; a separate sponsored Saturday tied to the Lost Dutchman Marathon drew about 514 patrons. Aquatics staff reported 49 seasonal staff members this year, consisting of 29 swim instructors and 44 lifeguards, and said the city ran one set of sponsored free Saturdays where public admission was free.
Julia also described a participation in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson on June 26, during which 46 children from a summer camp participated in a single 30‑minute session. She said the center fielded nine swim instructors and three lifeguards to support that session.
Other seasonal highlights included the reintroduction of adult lessons, water aerobics and lap swim programs, new reservation‑style offerings (a floating sound‑bath session operated by an outside company), a successful local swim team season and participation in the Arizona lifeguard challenge (the city placed 12th of 30 teams). Staff noted a partnership with Game and Fish to increase fishing poles available for adaptive fishing nights, and ongoing collaborations with the community action agency (CACDD) to expand adaptive programming.
The commission did not take action; staff described program outcomes, staffing and sponsorships and said they will continue to pursue outside support and scholarships for lessons and seasonal programming.
