Frequently asked questions

I love swimming and swim regularly, are there any discounts available?

We offer:

The Key Aqua Plus membership for anyone who swims regularly.  The membership includes use of both pools, the Heatwaves Health Suite, internally run wet fitness classes, all individual racket sport fees and costs £28 per month, by direct debit, or £280 per year. 

and

The Key Fitness Membership includes use of the pools, gym, health suite, internally run wet and dry fitness classes and racket sports.  This membership costs £35 per month by direct debit, or £350 per year.

Registering for a Key Card can also save you money on swimming if eligible for a status or concession card.  These cards offer excellent discounts on many of the Leisure Centre and Pool in the Park activities and some partner activities. Please follow the Key Card link for more information or contact the Leisure Centre on 01483 771122 or Civic Offices on 01483 755855.

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How can I vary my swimming activities?

Swim Fit programmes are specifically designed to give you a progressive, challenging swimming work out.  Come and join us on a Thursday night, our Swim Fit instructor will advise and guide on the best way to maximise your swimming workout

Our aqua workout classes are lead by an instructor and give you a challenging work out using the water as resistance. Pick up a timetable when you are next at the Pool in the Park. 

Alternatively you can register on the Swim Fit website (a charge may apply) run by the Amateur Swimming Association or Swim4fitness.  These websites give you information about how swimming can help you keep fit as well as motivating programmes.  you can also track your progress in the on-line logbook.

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Am I allowed to wear a t-shirt whilst swimming?

Pools in general restrict what people can wear and usual cite 'safety' as the reason for this inflexibility.  However at Pool in the Park we are proud to be one of the first pools in the country to adopt a more flexible swim wear policy.  You can now wear leggings and t-shirts in our pools, however they must conform to our new guidelines which can be viewed on this website or at the pool.

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Who should I speak to when my money gets stuck in a locker?

The staff at Pool in the Park are trained to help out within the changing village, if you experience any difficulties please speak to a member of staff.

We will also soon be trialling a designated customer assistant within the pool and changing area, they will be available to help with your queries and issues.

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I have two young children and my partner works during the day, how can I take my children swimming?

Each pool in the country adopts its own adult to child admission ratio based on what is called a risk assessment.  This basically means that the pool operators look at the possible risks involved in swimming and in particular the risks for children under the age of eight.  Here at Pool in the Park we have assessed the risks in our pools and found that children under the age of four should be accompanied at a ratio of one to one in our competition pool and lagoon pool.  The ratio for our teaching pool is one adult to every one children because it is shallower and safer.  For a ful list of our ratios please see our admission policy pages or call the Pool in the Park.

We recognise however that these ratios can appear restrictive and have a number of schemes in place to help families access our pools.  The Pool Swimming Standard has been set up to allow children over the age of five to pass a competency test which will allow them to be counted outside of the normal admission ratios.  For example a parent of two children aged three and seven can swim in our lagoon pool if the seven year old has passed the Pool Swimming Standard.  For details on this award please contact Pool in the Park or see our Pool Swimming Standard pages.

 We also offer Swim Buddies who are volunteers that help families and parents access the facilities when they would normally be restricted by our child admission policies.  For more information and to book a swim buddy please contact the Pool in the Park.

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Why is there sand in the bottom of the pool?

At Pool in the Park we use sand-based filters to clean the water, occasionally some of this sand flows back into the pool. You may occasionally notice it gathers in certain areas where the water is at its stillest, usually at the bottom. Don't worry it is completely harmless and gets swept up regularly by our pool vacuum cleaner.

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Why are the temperatures different in the pools?

We have to keep the pools at certain temperatures to accommodate all of our swimmers and to ensure a healthy balance of clean water and comfortable swimming conditions. Competition or lane pools are kept slightly lower than leisure or children's pools because swimmers doing lengths become too hot when the temperature is higher. In general it takes about 48 hours to raise the temperature 2oc in our competition pool.

Our pool temperatures are relatively static at 30.5oc in the teaching and lagoon pool and 28oc in the competition pool.

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Why do my eyes hurt after I go swimming?

Chlorine, added to pools to kill bacteria, isn't the culprit by itself. When chlorine comes in contact with nitrogen or ammonia in the water it forms chloramines (also called combined chlorine).

Chloramines create a temporarily rough surface on the cornea, the clear dome that cover the eyes. That leads to irritation, sensitivity, dryness and red eyes, a condition called keratitis.

If the problem is severe or frequent, watertight goggles might help prevent eye irritation by keeping water away from the eyes.

The water at Pool in the Park is monitored every 3 hours to ensure optimal quality.  We keep the chlorine at the recommended levels, generally between 1.0 - 2 parts per million and the ph at between 7.3 and 7.6.  The maintenance staff also have a regular schedule of back washing (where the filters are cleaned) and making up (where fresh water is added). 

The Pool in the Park also uses Ozone gas as a cleaning agent, this enables us to use less chlorine.

If you have any questions about the water quality please feel free to ask the manager on duty. 

To help keep the water as clean as possible please shower and use the toilet before swimming.

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Swimmer's Ear, why is it called this, can I catch it?

Swimmer's ear (also called otitis externa) is a painful condition of the visible or outer portion of your ear and ear canal. Men and women of all ages are affected equally, but children and teenagers most frequently develop this type of ear infection. Most of the time, swimmer's ear is easy to recognise and easy to cure with over the counter medicine and, if necessary, a visit to the doctor.

  • Because the condition occurs most often during the summer, with exposure of the ear to water while swimming, many people call it swimmer's ear. Water from a bath or shower can trigger the condition too.

  • It is not contagious.

If you are concerned that you may be suffering form this complaint seek the advice of a medical professional.

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How can I avoid athletes foot or a verruca?

Athlete's foot is a common condition in young people and adults. The fungi love warm, moist places and the condition is primarily a problem for people who wear tight-fitting trainers or don't dry their feet properly. Treatment is straight forward and most pharmacists should be able give advice on appropriate treatment.

Whilst it is often reported that swimming pools and changing rooms are a common place to pick up the condition, the cleaning and hygiene standards of Pool in the Park endeavour to minimise the risk to customers.

Verrucas are also a common complaint amongst children and adults. A verruca is a small skin lesion which is commonly found on the bottom surface of the foot. The lesion is usually approximately 1cm in diameter but can be larger. Sometimes a single wart may have many small satellite warts surrounding it, this is called a Mosaic Wart.

  • All verrucas are caused by the human papilloma virus. This is common in all environments but does not readily attack the skin. If there is a break or scratch in the skin, this will give the virus an opportunity to enter the skin. Excessive moisture or excessive dryness of the skin can lead to small cracks in the skin which allows the virus to enter the skin.

Customers should seek advice from a health professional if they believe they have a verruca.

It is recommended that customers use a protective sock when swimming if suffering from either athlete's foot or a verruca.

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Why do I have to shower and use the toilet before I get in the pool?

In order to maintain a good swimming environment and to ensure that the pool water is of an excellent standard, we ask that all customers shower and use the toilet before entering the pool.

Many people use deodorants, sprays and hair styling products which are easily washed off in the pool.  These products contaminate in the water forcing us to increase the cleaning chemicals. This in turn changes the quality of the water and can make swimming a less pleasurable experience.

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At what age can I take my baby swimming?

It used to be that you could not take your child swimming until they had their immunisations.  However this is no longer the case.  You can take you child swimming whenever you feel ready.  Please bear in mind however that swimming pools are noisy and can be cold, your baby may only be able to cope with a few minutes at first.  If you have recently given birth it may be wise to get advice from your health visitor, mid wife or GP before re-starting swimming.  Invest in some swim nappies as accidents can and do happen!

Above all, swimming is a fantastic life skill and giving your child an early start is good for both you and your baby.

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Is there such a thing as prescription goggles?

Yes.  Do you remember the film Notting Hill, when Hugh Grant took Julia Roberts to the cinema wearing his snorkelling mask because he broke his glasses. Most high street opticians sell prescription goggles but their ranges are usually limited to a couple of pairs.  Try looking at www.prescription-swimming-goggles.co.uk for a complete range at very reasonable prices.