Aquatic Center Admission Protocol Changing

There will be a new admission protocol to follow at the Glenwood Aquatic Center this year.

Aquatic center patrons with season passes will be issued a personalized membership card that will be scanned by lifeguards at the admission gate. When the card is scanned, the lifeguard will see a photo of the person assigned to the card on a computer screen. The new procedure will be similar the admission practice already in place at the Mills County YMCA.

“We had issues over the last several years of people giving out their pool pass number to other people, allowing people who were not paying for a pass to get into the pool for free,” Glenwood City Clerk Amber Farnan said last week. “When they scan the card, the member’s picture will pop up. That way it will be easier for the lifeguard to know if that’s the person checking in or not.”

Farnan said every person with a pool membership will be required to have a card, including all adults and children listed on a family membership application.

“Each card will be unique to the person holding it,” she said.

At its regular meeting last Tuesday, the Glenwood City Council signed off on a nearly $1,800 investment to put the new admission procedure in place. In addition to signing up for a six-month subscription with Pool Passes, LLC., the city will be purchasing two scanners, a webcam, a Chromebook computer and 1,000  pre-printed membership cards.

“Information (for season passes) can be entered into the system from City Hall or the pool,” Farnan said.
Additionally, Farnan said the new system can flag a person who’s been banned from the aquatic center for inappropriate conduct.

“Occasionally, each summer, we’ll have a kid or two who is banned from the pool for some reason or another,” she said. “If that person tries to come in, it will pop up saying they’re not allowed at the pool.”

The city council has yet to approve admission rates for the 2021 swimming season. Farnan said she expects the rates to be set by the end of March.

City officials are hopeful that the aquatic center will be open for an entire swimming season in 2021. Last year, because of concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus, the facility was open for an abbreviated season from June 27-Aug. 9.

    

  

The Opinion-Tribune

116 S Walnut St Glenwood, IA 51534-1665
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