Top 10 Reasons Why I'll Miss the Maplewood Community Pool

With all of the talk about Hurricane Irene and her terrible aftermath, the end of summer is losing center stage as a topic of discussion. Typically, going into Labor Day weekend most of the talk in my circle is how excited we are that our kids will be going back to school and, at the same time, how sad it is that our lazy summer days are coming to an end.

So allow me to bring this realization back to the forefront of our news headlines. Yes, the end of the summer is upon us and, like many parents, I couldn’t be happier at the thought of my children being back in a structured, educational environment for the majority of their day.

But it’s been a fantastic summer for my boys and me. We’ve spent most of the summer biding our time at one of Maplewood’s best assets – The Maplewood Community Pool.  I love this place and I’m not afraid to admit it.

Sure, I have some complaints about it (as so many others do), but I can’t help but feel lucky to have such a resource available to my family and me.  Therefore, I’ve compiled my list of the Top 10 reasons why we should all feel lucky to live here and have the pool available to us.

10. The cost

For the price of an expensive dinner in NYC for a family of four, I have an outdoor place for my kids to swim, exercise, and make lasting memories the entire summer.

9. The diving well

I’ve lived in about ten different towns in my life and have never seen any other pool with this kind of diving board/diving platform. My kids finally braved the first diving platform this year, and they have spent countless hours going off the boards while being dazzled and inspired as other divers flaunt their skills.

8. The baby pool

Okay, at ages 6 and 7 my kids technically aren’t supposed to be using this pool any longer, but it is a testament to how amazing this baby pool is that they and their friends still love playing in it. The magic mushroom and [other water feature, not sure of it’s name] provide many children loads of fun for hours.

7. Free outdoor concerts

On Wednesday evenings throughout the summer, we enjoyed eating dinner al fresco while being entertained by some really good musicians. Surrounded by friends and neighbors, these concerts are a fun way to while away the hours.

6. Free parties

One of my children has a birthday in July, and we have held his birthday party at the pool twice. The pool charges absolutely nothing for this convenience, other than any guest fee for attendees of your party who may not be members. A free birthday party? I’m all about that!

5. The volleyball net

The summer of 2011 will also be remembered in our house as the summer that my boys discovered the pool’s volleyball net. Down at the end of the pool’s property, in a shady, grassy patch, my children have spent loads of time bonding with other kids in town while playing a game I had never heard of before – newcomb (am I spelling that right?). This has added another element of fun for our family.

4. Free swim lessons

That’s right, free swim lessons. The best part of these lessons, imo, is that the children who participate are made to feel special and safe at our pool. Let’s face it, sometimes bigger isn’t better for all small kids; having some time at the pool when no one else is around and the lifeguards are there to usher you into the pool is just what some young folks need to get more comfortable in the water. At the end of each session, the lifeguards break out a canoe, the kids hop in and the lifeguards lead the canoe around the pool – how fun is that?!

3. Four pools in one membership

In truth, the Maplewood Community Pool should really be plural – Maplewood Community Pools. There are four pools in total where we can cool off and have fun, the baby pool, the training pool, the main pool, and the diving well. No wonder it is only a handful of times throughout the summer that I say to myself “Wow, it is really crowded here today.”

2. Water slides are being added next year

Need I say more? On top of major repairs that need to take place during the off-season, the pool committee approved the addition of not one, but two, water slides. Something great is only getter better. I can’t, ahem, I mean...my kids can’t wait to try these slides out next summer!

1.  The Lifeguards and rest of the staff

I had the (luck?) of witnessing several “saves” by the lifeguards this summer; turns out they were false alarms/drills but I was so impressed with how quickly this group of young people took action to ensure the safety of all of us at the pool. In addition, my kids have become great friends with some of the lifeguards and love hanging out with these guys. They truly exemplify the “community” in the title of the Maplewood Community Pool. It’s not an easy job, but they do it all with a smile and great sense of humor.

We’ll miss you, Maplewood Community Pool, and all of your talented staff members! Thanks for some amazing memories, it’s been a blast!