Swim pool attendance data from Summer 2012. We more than doubled the volume of use!

In the summer of 2011, the total swim pool attendance at the Ammon Swim Pool, Bedford Avenue, Hill District, was 5,471.

In the summer of 2012, the attendance was 12,278.

In the official Citiparks records, the Summer Dreamers for 2012 accounted for 529 visitors. 

We did NOT use Ammon in 2011. 

Less than one year ago, the City Controller, Michael Lamb, did an extensive audit of all the swimming pools in the city. In past years, the average daily attendance was 74 people. 

Of course when I say, "we," I mean us all. There were plenty of other camps, groups, visitors, swimmers, waterpolo players, swim lessons and citizens that graced the Ammon Pool with their presence beyond what I drove and ran into those gates. The church groups, the day-cares the Ozanam Basketball Players -- all should be proud. 

Further, as a point of clarification, the 529 for Summer Dreamers was assumed to be the number of splashes for the morning participation. That averages to about 26 people per day over the 20 days we went to the pool in the mornings. On the first day of camp, we didn't go to the pool because the kids didn't know if they're choice of swimming was given to them. The kids didn't even know to bring their swim suits with them to camp, for example. There were a few other times when there were storms and we didn't get to go to the outdoor pool. On a couple of days we all went to the indoor Thelma Lovette YMCA pool too. 

In reality, some days we took 12 or so to the Ammon Pool and then another day we could take 40. 

Regardless, we got there on foot, after traveling a full mile from school with a combination of running and walking. And, we got back to school for the dismissal or for lunch following the morning swim on foot too. So, our swimmers were doing urban renewal at the same time. We were taking back the streets of The Hill District for kids and fitness. We owned those hills. And, throughout the supervision of the 3,000 miles of total travel in The Hill District this summer, we didn't even suffer a single bee sting nor scraped knee as a result of those travels. Thank goodness.

So, in 2013, the plans are different, sadly. The middle school kids are not going to be going to Summer Dreamers at U-Prep. All will be going to CAPA, downtown. Going from Downtown CAPA to the top of The Hill District's Bedford Avenue and Ammon Pool is more of a stretch. But, we're proposing we do it with some changes. 

The new solution to fit the CAPA setting for middle school students being proposed has Hill District kids departing CAPA after lunch and going on the fitness run / walk and swimming in the afternoons with their activity periods. However, those campers won't go back to CAPA after the swim and activities. They'll have dismissal in their own neighborhood rather than in Downtown. Going back to CAPA just to get on a bus to go back to The Hill District is too much.