disappointed with new swim timetable...have I got this wrong?

[fmay]

Please explain and correct me if I have this wrong....It seems the new swim timetable is a complete mess up.

I was excited about the opening as now heavily pregnant with my second I thought it would give me the chance to swim whilst my toddler was in the creche (get some much needed exercise which I otherwise can't fit in whilst looking after number 1 full time!). However, the morning adult swim sessions finish at 9.30am and reception have told me that the creche is open 9.30-1pm. So the creche is not actually available when mums would want to swim anyway! The next adult lane swim option is 12-1.30pm, toddler lunch time for pretty much everyone I know with toddlers.

Also, the lessons are late avos...surely not ideal for small babies?

Doesn't seem that the timetable was very well thought out. So frustrating.

Heard it is far too cold for little ones anyway. What a shame.

[snowboarder]

What's 'general swim'? I was thinking this would be ok? So therefore 9.30 - 11.30 on tuesdays (women only for part!), wed and fridays? No? Is 'general swim' sthg else? Can you take babies into 'general swim'??

Babies lessons on wed morning only - but would have though booked up by now.

[The Nappy Lady]

I saw on the main thread about the pool reopening that James Barber is going to ask whether the timetable can be revised because people were saying that every weekday after school was reserved for swimming lessons, so when could parents take school children for a general swim after school.

So, I would add your issues about the timetable to that thread, so James can maybe compile them and possibly get something positive done about it all as and when they revise the timetable.

It all seems to have gone horribly wrong as far as I can tell.

Re the pool being cold - does anyone know how long the water has been in for? I know in pools in general it can take several days for it to get up to full temperature after being filled, so maybe that is the problem? I hope so, as otherwise you wont see me rushing to jump in!

[Moos]

James' comment was that it was filled a fortnight ago... so whatever the problem is, that's not it.

Let's hope it's just teething troubles.

[fmay]

When I went to 'general swim' or 'ladies only' in the past (at the old pool) you couldn't actually do a propper workout because there were no lanes, just very small sections of the pool (ie. one end of it left open)for you to go round and around in whilst the majority was taken up for things like aqua fit. I was hoping for a lane swim during creche times.

[The Nappy Lady]

fmay - def. point this out to James Barber on the thread in the main room of the forum, it's a good point, and all they need to do is open the creche earlier a couple of times a week....

[qeetah]

I asked about the temperature of the pool when I signed up for baby swimming classes yesterday and they said the pool temp was 28 degrees. Sounds quite pleasant to me and would probably be too warm for swimmers if it was any hotter? Perhaps it has just taken a while to get up to the right temperature? I haven't been in yet to can't speak from experience but planning to go at the weekend so will let you know how it feels then.

[canadianlisa]

Yes I agree this needs to be sorted. I was also looking forward to putting my little girl in the creche for an hour so that I was able to enjoy a swim. I am going to visit this weekend and will ask about it.

Most public pools are usually around 28 degrees- that is pretty warm and I don't think it will be a problem for adults or children.

I found in the past that there is an ongoing problem with the pools being 'laned off' for swimming during general swim at Dulwich and Peckham. I stopped going to Peckham Pulse as they would not put even 1 lane in during general swim and there was no way to swim from one end to the next. The lifeguards and management were really rude about it and suggested that I had to come to adult lane swim but that was only either during working hours or at around 8:30 / 9 p.m. There was a number of people trying to swim who ended up leaving. At the time I was heavily pregnant so was more cautious than usual. I hope this gets sorted as it is really frustrating.

[jadal]

I excitedly went off to the general swim session at dulwich this morning (9.30-10.30) and yes you can take babies/toddlers as I took mine and there were only 4 other people in the pool,HOWEVER,it was so cold that we only lasted 15 minutes. As regular swimmers we could ordinarily tough it out but this was just far too cold. I spoke to a lifeguard who said in the last week the temperature has risen by 1 degree but when I spoke to the receptionist she was adamant that it was the same temperature as Peckham and that people were complaining over the weekend that it was too hot!! Maybe she should read this forum as the posts I have found have all said the same thing that it was too cold.

Another mum with her young daughter got in the pool as we got out and she too was out within 10 minutes!!

Lovely creche though!!

[fmay]

Jadal, did they have any lanes or propper space sectioned off for people to do lengths at all during general swim?

[fmay]

I have pm'd James Barber re. creche opening earlier or adult lane swim lasting longer. Hopefully they can eventually amend the timetable.

[mumra]

We went over the weekend and the receptionist is not telling the truth that people were complaining it was too warm as she told the poster above. It was freezing on Saturday. We have now (after a 2 hour queue) booked swimming lessons for our 5 yo in the hope there is something wrong with the thermostat that can be fixed, but she has already said she thinks it's too cold to swim so am preparing myself for a poolside refusal come lesson time!

[Goose Green Grump]

I went for a swim yesterday during the 'Women Only Session'. There was an Aquafit class going on too but only 3 people at that. One lane was roped off for the fast swimmers (about 4), and others (another 4 or so) were doing lengths in the main area of the pool.

It was cold if you stayed still. So not great if you're with little ones. Lifeguard said it was currently at about 27.5 degrees, they were aiming for 29, that this would make a big difference, but that it would take another week to warm up.

[fmay]

James Barber is on the case re. pool temp and the creche opening hours. Hopefully timetable can be tweaked.

[Penpop]

I've just come back from a very pleasant swim at East Dulwich pool. Before going in I asked what the temperature was now - 29oC! There's a sign saying that the feedback was that the water was to cold so they have listened and made it warmer!

[Fuschia]

Penpop Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've just come back from a very pleasant swim at

> East Dulwich pool. Before going in I asked what

> the temperature was now - 29oC! There's a sign

> saying that the feedback was that the water was to

> cold so they have listened and made it warmer!

On the main part of the forum there are people saying it should be kept cool for the benefit of the athletic swimmers and those saying the changing rooms and water are too cold for children are just moaning!

[Keef]

Well you can't please everyone.

[lorna63]

I just paid my first visit to the newly opened pool, I was taken aback by how lovely and modern it looks, I used to swim at school lessons there almost 40 years ago. It gets a complate thumbs up from me, they have a sign up, as previously mentioned, saying that they had listened to people saying it was cold and the temp has been increased to 29 degrees. The pool was fine when I got in it, and the pool is great, no more dirty broken tiles, all crisp and clean. The changing room was so welcome after the damp smelling one before.

The time table isnt the greatest, but general swim I have only really found to be a problem in holiday times and after school. There does however seem to be too much time given over to swimming lessons after school, when children might like to swim, they will now have to wait until 6pm, or frid from 4-6 they have splash and floats.

I think the most important thing is to voice any feedback you have and then they can have a look and see if its possible to make changes.

I think its brilliant what they have done to the pool and a real asset for the area, im looking forward to the gym being re vamped now, wheras before I felt put out that it had shut for a redo.

I feel the sign up there saying they are listening shows they are trying to please where possible.>:D<

[lorna63]

ps. there is a water thermometer tied to the rail, by the stairs out at the deep end and I looked at it and it showed the pool temp at being 29 degrees.

[sb]

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[Jamma]

I tried the pool and it's fantastic. But I think you just have to accept it is not a facility aimed at small children. If you want to go swimming with little kids go to Peckham, it's hardly the other side of the world. (Or Beckenham, which obviously is a bit more like the other side of the world).

It's OK to have some facilities more geared towards adults and some with more for kids. I appreciate there's a lot of kids in East Dulwich but the pool is what it is, unlike Peckham Pulse which was purpose built more recently.

[Dorothy]

Am amazed so many people have mis-read the op.

She wants to swim in an adult only lane-type swimming arrangement, without her toddler in the pool, and cannot do so because the creche is not open at adult only swim times during the day.

Good luck with getting it sorted fmay.

[bumpy]

Visited the pool today and left my LO with the creche - thought the pool was lovely - light, bright & airy and the creche great - clean, lots of toys, friendly staff.

My only bug bear would be that the creche isn't open at weekends too - I work 3 days a week,my hubby isn't always around and we don't have family in London.

Other than that it gets a thumbs up from me.