Longer Swimming Season and Free Admission at Gypsy Hill Park Pool

Staunton Parks and Recreation and YMCA Collaborate on Extraordinary Measure for Unconventional Pool Season

STAUNTON, VA (08/26/2011)(readMedia)-- For what has been an unconventional season at Gypsy Hill Park Pool will now fittingly culminate in a grand unconventional encore. The Staunton Augusta YMCA will collaborate with Staunton Parks and Recreation Department to keep the Gypsy Hill Park swimming pool open three extra weeks after Labor Day. This is an unprecedented extension of the swimming season and includes weekdays and weekends. Admission to the pool will be free. The YMCA will operate the pool from September 6th thru September 27th while the pool at the YMCA is closed for maintenance. Free swimming will be provided for the public during the following hours. Monday-Friday 10:00am-1:00 and 3:00pm – 6:00pm, Weekend hours will be Saturday noon – 6:00pm and Sunday , 1:00pm -6:00pm The Staunton Parks and Recreation Department is grateful for this mutually beneficial YMCA proposition.

Several synchronicities have played a role in this rarity. The Staunton Parks and Recreation Department staff has spend plenty of time thinking about how they could possibly make right with the community the inconvenience of having the pool closed for three weeks during one of the hottest three weeks of the Summer on record. Extending the season was an option but the Recreation Department didn't have the lifeguards to staff the pool after Labor Day. In the meantime, across town at the Staunton-Augusta YMCA, their pool was to be closed for routine maintenance. The scheduled routine and preventative maintenance dates happened to be the three full weeks after Labor Day. Morris Peltz, The Executive Director of the Staunton-Augusta YMCA approached Chris Tuttle, Director of Staunton Parks and Recreation with the request to use Gypsy Hill Park pool for their displaced lap swims and swimming lessons while the Y's pool was closed.

The two surmised the YMCA could use Gypsy Hill Park Pool to continue their planned activities. In addition, the Parks and Recreation Department and the "Y" will offer free swimming to the community for three weeks, the amount of time the Gypsy Hill Park Pool was closed due to pool pump failure. "We were ecstatic to have a viable way to end the Summer on a good note with our pool patrons. They have been extremely patient and understanding and to be able to give them this benefit creates some semblance of balance in our park-patron relationship. The "Y" 's outreach effort is greatly appreciated," said Chris Tuttle, Staunton Park and Recreation Director.

For more information contact the Staunton-Augusta YMCA @ 885-8089.