June 13, 2008
Q: I would like to comment on a recent response in the Action Line stating that the Purdy Fitness Center swimming pool is almost always open continuously. The pool is closed Monday - Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. Active duty personnel are authorized three hours a week for PT. Many of us do not know when that time can be fit into a busy workday. Trying to get to the pool is a challenge with this time hardship. Again, many of us have before and after work commitments that preclude us from getting to the pool during those times. The current pool hours are not convenient for people who work from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Based on that schedule the swimming pool is only open 66 percent of the time. Could something please be done to keep the pool open?

A: The Purdy Fitness Center swimming pool is open for lap swim weekdays from 5:30 – 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays lap swimming is available from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. In total that is more than 73 hours a week (averaging 10 plus hours per day), allowing most fitness swimmers plenty of opportunity to get in their workout. In addition, 73 hours a week is equal to, if not more, than what is available at almost any MWR pool in the Navy. The Purdy Fitness Center pool is secured to general users weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. to be available for command training reservations. MWR lifeguards and aquatics staff also use this three hour block of time to clean and maintain pool facilities and equipment and for other aquatics and fitness assignments as required. We sincerely apologize if this closure is inconvenient for a small minority of folks, but the overall lap swim participation numbers for peak use hours (before work, lunchtime and after school/ work) seldom if ever approach maximum capacity and there remains little justification to extend hours even further during non-peak times. It’s important to realize that MWR funding is limited and we must use it as judiciously as possible to try to offer the most value and opportunity to the majority of users. Unfortunately that means we’re not going to be able to please every single individual MWR patron every time.