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Meridian pool reports strong 2024 season, expands lessons and safety protocols
Summary
The city's aquatics coordinator told the commission the pool served more than 2,000 lesson participants, hired about 65 staff, recorded just 14 active rescues after implementing safety testing, and plans facility upgrades and a 'Mommy and Me' offering for 2025.
Willow Spurlock, aquatics coordinator for the Meridian pool, presented a 2024 season review to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Nov. 13, outlining operations, safety outcomes, staffing and plans for 2025.
Spurlock said the facility completed several maintenance projects this year — including main-pool motor replacement, kiddie-pool circulation upgrades, sand-filter media replacements and chemical-holding tank upgrades — and credited in-house staff work for cost savings on deck repairs and repainting. She reported hiring about 65 seasonal staff, all trained and certified through an in-house program, and said the pool offered five two-week lesson sessions that served more than 2,000 children in group and private lessons during the summer.
The pool reintroduced evening open-swim hours and tracked average daily attendance at about 150 paying patrons, with capacity capped at 250. Spurlock highlighted a swim-test protocol and other lifeguard procedures that reduced active rescues ("jump-ins") to 14 for the season, a marked improvement from earlier years when the pool recorded many more rescues.
Spurlock described programming and facility plans for 2025, including adding two high-rise lifeguard chairs in deep ends, slide and deck-lighting repairs, exterior paint and piloting a 'Mommy and Me' swim curriculum initially aimed at children ages 1–3. She said the department expanded the Care to Share subsidy program this year, enabling roughly 45 children to attend lessons at reduced cost and noting donation mechanisms (online registration round-ups and workplace drives) to support the subsidy.
Commissioners asked about capacity, safety counts and sponsorship logistics; staff said counts are tracked in and out to ensure the 250-person limit is not exceeded and estimated the per-child cost for group lessons at roughly $45, meaning sponsoring 10 students would cost around $450 before subsidies. Spurlock said the pool also hosted regional swim clinics and local swim teams this year and continues to coordinate with schools for practice space during the off season.
Staff flagged continued attention to staffing efficiencies without reducing required on-deck guard coverage and said they will pursue modest capital repairs and program expansions in 2025.
