County reports drop in summer pool use

Spokane County’s aquatics center on the South Hill experienced quite a dip in attendance this summer in its second season of operation.

“Last year we blew everything out of the water, but this year we are hurting,” said Angela Cosby, recreation specialist with the Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department. “If you compare to last summer, attendance at the South Side facility dropped by 40 percent.”

Cosby said the county expected a drop when Spokane city pools opened this summer, but not one of that magnitude.

“At the North Side aquatics center attendance dropped by about 10 percent, and that’s what we expected,” Cosby said. “People go to where the new and exciting thing is.”

Still, about 600 people visited the South Side aquatics center every day, Cosby said.

“They had a great experience because there weren’t so many people there,” Cosby said. “Last year, we were hitting maximum capacity after 45 minutes and had to turn people away. That’s the last thing you want your family to go through, after you get the kids ready and pile in the car.”

Cosby said the county charges more for a pool visit than the city.

“I think by next year it will all even out,” Cosby said. “Last year, city pools shut down a bit early so we got some more swimmers, this year it’s just the other way around.”