Swimming pool
July 10th, 2007 by 
Alica
In recent years, Brandon has added some amenbities to the municipal swimming pool, located in Aspen Park. Pictured here is the wading pool, which last year was made into a zero-entrance pool, with spray jets and a blue elephant added.
Before that, the city added a couple of tube slides to the big pool. Picnic tables also were added to the grassy area near the pool.
Wayne Fletcher, Brandon’s director of public works, says the pool has been at near capacity this summer. Kids take swimming lessons there, and there are water aerobics classes for adults in the evening.
Have you been to the pool this summer? What features would you like to see added?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
July 10th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
I would like to see a pool that’s about like Terrace Park and i think we would get more people.
July 13th, 2007 at 7:46 am
FYI; A pool like the Terrace Park pool would cost in the neighborhood of $5 million.
July 17th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
I have been the pool numberous times this summer and have been greatly dissapointed! In fact, until something is done down there, I will be bringing my kids into SF to swim. We have been down there 3 different times and could not swim because they were at capacity. One of the few times we were able to swim, my child wasn’t allowed to use the slides because they had to close them due to a lot of kids being there. That is certainly a waste of money to add waterslides that the kids can’t even use! We are in desperate need for a new pool in this town!!
July 17th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
The pool here in Brandon is rediculous…they charge people even if they have patches since it wasn’t sewn on…that’s stupid. The sign wasn’t even noticable. They won’t let the kids hardly walk around the pool without blowing the whisle no wander why people go to Sioux Falls the guards are much nicer and more of them and watch much better than here!!
July 24th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
What are the pool hours
July 24th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
According to the city Web site, this is the pool schedule:
Open Swimming: Daily 1 to 5 p.m. and 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The 50-10 plan will be utilized. The pool will be cleared for 10 minutes out of
every hour. These 10 minutes can be used by adult swimmers. This also will give
the guards a break and the kids a chance to rest.
• Daycare groups are welcome, but supervisors are expected to be in the water
with the group at a ratio of 10:1.
Family Swim: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Parents/adults must be in the water with any child younger than 18 years. Flotation
devices are not permitted with the exception of life jackets.
Lap Swim: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5 to 5:45 p.m.
Ages 15 and older: Pass or regular admission fee.
Water Aerobics: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5:45 to 6:30 p.m.
Pass or regular admission fee.
Wading Pool: Daily 1 to 5 p.m. and 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Available free of charge for children 6 years and younger in swimwear. All children
in wading pool must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
July 25th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I have been to the Brandon pool 15-20 times this summer with my kids. We go at family time and stay until 7:30PM. The pool is no where near capacity in the evenings. I have also taken my kids to Laurel Oaks and not had room to move.
There is something wrong with the water at the Brandon pool. I think they have way to much Clorox in the pool. All the color has come out of my swimming suit and we smell like a laudromat.
July 30th, 2007 at 7:52 am
About the patches. Patches are sewn on so the kids don’t lose them. Can’t even count how many times kids come up to the window and say they’ve lost their patch, parents as well. They also had to be sewn on so kids would not find them and use them themselves. It’s not a hard job to do. Needle and thread….in…out…in…out, just do it and stop complaining about it.
July 30th, 2007 at 7:59 am
Also I want to say to “mom” go to sioux falls. So what, I don’t think the lifeguards down there are going to care that much if you don’t go there. It’s just less they have to worry about. About whisteling at the kids…sorry they enforce the rules down there but hey if you don’t like it then don’t go. How many rescues have been done improperly down there? Oh yeah, non, because they do watch the water. Go to Sioux Falls have fun there.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:38 pm
To PTV: Just a note about swim wear. If you have swim wear that is not 100% polyester, it will fade in a short time. I go the Avera Fitness Center and a suit will fade there too, if it is not 100% polyester. I have had both.
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
I would have to say that the lifeguards at our pool do a very good job (when the pool is open!!) I commend them on how aware they are when they are on duty. My question to the city and the pool manager is why does the little pool have to close for a whole day when a child has an accident in the pool? I have observed “an accident” at a SF pool and their protacol is completely different. I saw the lifeguard scope up the “accident”, spray the area and wipe it down,pour some chemicals in the water,take a water sample and then take another one 30 minutes later. Problem solved. It seems to me that the Brandon pool tries to find reasons to close. Just my opinion!!
August 2nd, 2007 at 10:49 pm
I couldn’t tell ya why they close it. They do things a lot differently. It’s not the manager saying to close it. It’s the people who have to run the chlorine tests. The manager has nothing to do with it at all, promise you that.
August 4th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I would just like to to say that the Brandon lifeguards due a amazing job!!! Many of those lifeguards work 10 hour shifts with many of them working 7 days a week. Working this many hours in the hot weather that we have had this summer can be very exhausting. I think that some may think that they may be strict down at the pool, but it is all in the safety of your/our children. They are preventing accidents from happening. You should be thankful that we have lifeguards in this town that actually care enough to prevent accidents. KEEPING THE CHIDLREN SAFE IS THE MOST IMPORANT THING! To worry about silly little things like swimmers have to have thier patch sewn on a swimsuits or towels seems kind of ridiculous to complain about. It could be alot worse. Along with this discussion about the patches, I called Sioux Falls and thier policy is the same as Brandon. THE PATCHES NEED TO BE SEWN ON!! If you have any other options or ideas, you should take it to city hall. I am sure that they would love to hear your ideas that would solve this problem. Along with some of the other compliants that have been shared. The issue with closing the pool because of accidents in the pool, it is a state regulation that the chlorine levels have to be at a certain level and be consistent for 30 minutes. That is the last I heard what the regulations are. I don’t know about you, but if I was at with my kids and an accident occured like this. I don’t think that I would want my children getting back into the pool right away. I would want to make sure everything is ok and the people that are trained to handle the situation have given the ok. I would trust thier judgement. I don’t think that the management is trying to close the pool on purpose, so that no one can swim anymore. You have to remember if there are no swimmers then those employees probably don’t get paid. I just wanted to give my opinion on some of the comments that have been made about the Brandon Pool. In my opinion, I think that they are doing a wonderful job and should keep it up. It probably would be nice to hear some postivie remarks then always so negative. I try to remember there is more imporant things to worry about. It could be worse!!
~No Worries
August 5th, 2007 at 6:10 am
Check out this site from the CDC on pool fecal accidents and I think the states follow these.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/fecalacc.htm
August 5th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
mom of 5. please go to sioux falls. as a former lifeguard at the brandon pool we don’t need mom’s like you coming down and complaining about every little thing. we work our butts off down there and why would we wanna close the pool. its not like we’d be getting paid. you need to stop complaining and accept that brandon is a growing town that can’t make changes EVERYWHERE. i’d like to see you go down to the pool and lifeguard in this heat wave they’ve been going through. They’ve gone through a lot this summer, even guards passing out on them. but no really, please go to sioux falls and quit your bitchn
August 5th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
by the way..lifeguards this year. you guys are doing a fantastic job and i’m impressed. This is a summer like no other and i’m proud.
August 10th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Anonymous…..If you would have read my post, I commended the lifeguards on a job well done this summer. I’m sorry if you can’t take constructive cristism! So I take offense to the “quit your bitchin” comment. Again, the lifeguards are doing a GREAT job. I will be looking into the statement that the city has the final say when the pool closes, not the manager. It is just hard to explain to a 2 year old that they can’t go swimming becaue of a “potty” accident 6 hours ago! And Anonymous I and many others are going into SF when the Brandon pool is closed or at capacity which is to bad considering how many young people we have in this town. We need a bigger and better pool in this town.
August 10th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Our lifeguards are doing a great job. The heat has been unbearable yet they stick it out. About the ‘potty’ accidents. Grose! I certainly wouldn’t want myself or my kids swimming around in water that has has fecal matter in it. I don’t think 30 minutes of chlorine will eliminate all of the bacteria not to mention anything else that may have been floating around in the water. Accidents happen - shouldn’t the criticism be more on the people that are supposed to be watching the kids? Take your kids to the bathroom every now and then. There are safety standards that need to be met and I would hope that people would understand. Do you realize how many people accidentally get water in their mouth? Think about it. Knowing that SF pools let you back in after 30 minutes makes me think twice about going to their pools. A bigger pool would be great, but that also adds other issues. Higher taxes, more guards, do we replace the existing or build another? Its never as easy as you’d like.
August 10th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I see some one (mom) commented that the guards in SF are nicer???? Obviously you haven’t gotten to know the guards in Brandon very well. Besides, they have to maintain some level of authority over the kids otherwise they will continue to try and get away with things they aren’t supposed to do. Also, I have had kids swimming in the Brandon pool since it first opened. Patches have always been required to be sewn on. Not quite understanding why thats an issue? Laziness perhaps? I hated sewing them on too, but I still did it….every year. I believe its stated in the pool rules that the patches need to be sewn on.??? Not sure about that though.
August 18th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
well i’m glad your going to sioux falls. if you want a bigger and better pool hon, start building. oh and good luck!
August 20th, 2007 at 12:04 am
ok so about getting a bigger pool… if brandon had a bigger pool, they would need more lifeguards and that is kind of hard considering brandon and SF are short on guards. they are short everywhere! i agree, a bigger pool would be nicer but whoever was complaining about reaching capacity and the slides getting closed really needs to stop complaining. it is hard enough to guard with that many kids, then u let them go off the slides, thats just more kids in a smaller area. really really hard to watch. would u want to do it? because if you want to, go ahead. I want to see you try it!
September 27th, 2007 at 6:11 am
If there is anything at all needed to be installed in a pool, my guess would be a fully stocked bar.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I think that Brandon could support a larger pool something simular to Terrece park but maybe not quite that big but I know for a fact that alot of people buy Sioux Falls pool passes when they would more likly buy Brandon if given the opportunity. Brandon’s pool is just not that much fun for the kids when they know that there is much better pools to get parents to take them to so close. I also did not like the fact that some kids had to stand in line as the pool was at its limit.Brandon is a young community & I think we could expand the pool area, like extend the fence & add additional pools.