Summer swim program continues at different location after Nordhoff pool not made available
By Sondra Murphy
Break out the sunscreen.
The city of Ojai and Villanova Preparatory School have announced the return of the swim program to the Ojai Recreation Department this summer. Villanova Preparatory School has offered the use of its pool for swim lessons, lap swim and open swim programs during the month of July.
The city had used the pool at Nordhoff High School for at least 45 years until this year, when maintenance and scheduling conflicts interfered with ORD being able to hold classes there. A Screen Gems production company will use the campus until June 30.
“Villanova Preparatory School is honored to join the city of Ojai in fostering recreation opportunities for the youth of our community,” said Villanova President Fr. Gregory Heidenblut, O.S.A. “Augustinian education is traditionally based on the three core values St. Augustine borrowed from sacred Scripture, truth, unity and love. We understand unity as our responsibility to the ‘community.’ This gives us an opportunity to model for our students the importance of sharing our resources with others for the common good.”
The deal was negotiated by Ojai City Councilwoman Betsy Clapp. “It was important that the city provide swimming lessons, so I asked around to see what pools were available. Villanova was excited about the opportunity to serve the community,” said Clapp. “Everyone, particularly elected officials, need to explore alternative solutions and possibilities throughout the community and find ways to make things happen.”
The Recreation Department wasted no time with program logistics. “We have secured enough aquatics staff,” ORD director Dale Sumersille told the City Council last week. “It’s a beautiful facility and a beautiful view. We’re very thankful to Villanova for their support.”
Swim lessons will be offered in two sessions. Session 1 is July 6 through 16, and Session 2 is scheduled for July 20 through 30. Each runs Monday through Thursday. The cost is $50 per child for each session. Swim lessons are two weeks in length with 30 minutes of instruction and class times beginning as early as 8 a.m. and ending at 10:15 a.m.
Different class types and levels are offered. Parent-Child requires parent attendance in the water. Level A is for ages 6 months to 2 years. Level B is for ages 2 to 5 years with required parent attendance out of the water.
Learn to Swim is for ages 6 years and up. Level 1 is an introduction to water skills; Level 2 is fundamental aquatic skills; Levels 3, 4 and 5 are stroke development, improvement and refinement.
All classes are conducted under American Red Cross recommendations and standards with ARC certified lifeguards and water safety instructors. At each two-week session, swimmers will be given instructions on pool safety before participants enter the pool. The American Red Cross requires safety instruction.
Open swim and lap swim will be offered Monday through Friday from July 6 to July 31 from 10:30 am to 2:30 p.m. The fee is $3 per person entering the water.
For more information on swim lessons, lap and open swim programs, specific class times and skill levels, call the Ojai Recreation Department at 646-1872, or stop by the Ojai Recreation Department, 510 Park Road, during normal business hours, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Thankyou Villanova
Anonymous
18 Jun 09 at 5:59 pm
Betsey THANK YOU!
Anonymous Ray
19 Jun 09 at 7:43 am
A public school with a swimming pool that has been used for 45 years for summer swimming program is not available, but ironically a private school (that was vandalized last year by Nordhoff students), steps in and saves the summer swim program. This is another example of our tax dollars at work? The inability of the OUSD board and adminstration to get anything done for the community is just business as usual. No wonder the parcel tax could not get voter support.
Thank you Villanova.
anonymous
19 Jun 09 at 8:59 am
What was not clear in the article was that OUSD had offered the pool to the City for use from July 1 through the rest of the summer. The cost to the City would have been $8000, which barely covers the chemicals, energy, and manpower necessary to keep the pool operational. This offer was made with plenty of time for the City to open up the program described above. If Villanova is able to provide their pool for free then I congratulate the City on getting a better deal. If the City is paying to use the pool, it would be interesting to find out how much they are paying. Whatever the case, I am happy that our community will have a pool open this summer.
Tim Baird
19 Jun 09 at 4:42 pm
Way to pull through, Villanova.
Anon.5
19 Jun 09 at 4:54 pm
The OUSD tries to extort $8000 from the city for a swimming pool that the taxpayers own. This is the same lack of cooperation that has prevent any progress on the skate park.
Anonymous
19 Jun 09 at 7:46 pm
How is paying for the operating costs of the pool “extortion”. Anybody who has ever owned a pool can tell you that the maintenance costs are significant and continuous. More so for a public pool, with the need for additional decontamination, etc. Public parks (local, state, and national) frequently charge user fees, even though they are “owned” by the taxpayers.
get real
19 Jun 09 at 8:42 pm
We needed a pool this summer for vital swim programs. Villanova has provided one. Thank you very much. I hope the Lifeguards & Instructors will not be too awestruck by the scenery and forget to keep a close eye on the kids. Ojai is just “too darn hot” to not have a pool for public use. Sure you don’t want to offer open swim time after I get out of work? Around 5:30? Nothing washes away the day like a plunge.:)
cool off already
19 Jun 09 at 10:51 pm
“get real” it is taxpayer money, not Mr. Baird’s money. The community should be able to use the pool and if a small user fee is needed so be it. It is time for the OUSD to work with the community, case in point, skate park.
Anonymous
20 Jun 09 at 7:49 am
taxpayer money? that gets spent during the school year. with all the cuts to education, we’re lucky to have that. the pool is a luxury that we got used to. just glad they found a way for kids to swim somewhere this summer.
...
20 Jun 09 at 8:28 am
The pool is basically a fixed cost as it still needs to be maintained over the summer even if no one uses it. The extra cost for chlorine etc is likely 20% increase, which could have been covered with user fees. Yea, it is great that Villanova could help out, but the OUSD lack of cooperation with the recreation department is distubing.
anonymous
20 Jun 09 at 9:50 am
You don’t think the school just Found a $50,000k movie deal by accident. They planned to close the pool for shooting on campus.
Anonymous Ray
20 Jun 09 at 11:03 am
“Anonymous Ray” you are most wise. What is the OUSD doing with the $50K?
Anonymous
20 Jun 09 at 2:37 pm
paying for the campus officer
get real
21 Jun 09 at 8:08 am
Thank you Villanova for offering your lovely pool to our local families who are in need of affordable swim lessons! As a parent I am very grateful to know that my daughter will have the chance to learn much needed water safety and that I won’t need to drive to Ventura for swim lessons. Let’s move beyond blaming and just be grateful that we now have options.
Lynn Haag
21 Jun 09 at 8:41 am
Good advertizing for Villanova!
prospective parent
21 Jun 09 at 8:47 am
Villanova A+
Kids of Ojai A+
Recreation Dept. A+
OUSD D-
anonymous
22 Jun 09 at 7:37 am
If Tim Baird’s master plan to develope the school adm site is ever hatched, the city should require a public pool as part of the permit process. We have enough landscape and trees. If they can propose a 3 screen theater and 75,000 square feet of excess developement why not a pool. Seniors can’t afford to join a swim club and also need places to swim.
Anonymous Ray
22 Jun 09 at 8:39 am
We have a theater in town already, we do not need a 3 screen theater. We do not need a performing arts center. Yes we could use a public pool, but we already have one at Nordhoff that we can’t use. If that is a “master plan” of Tim Baird then let’s start counting the days until he moves to Encintas and begins ruining their district.
anonymous
22 Jun 09 at 11:38 am
The Ojai Valley Athletic Club began when a group of families put up the money to start a community swim and tennis club. Pool memberships were reasonable for the average Ojai family – it was possible to have a membership that was ONLY for the pool. I am not sure how it was allowed to grow so far from its original purpose. Perhaps the same thing could happen again. As with most of Ojai’s problems, we just need to work together and insist that changes be made that benefit the residents of the valley – backing that up, of course, with the willingness to contribute time and/or money to the efforts. I would be willing – anyone else??
get real
22 Jun 09 at 11:41 am
A group tried several years ago to get the community pool. It held the interest of less than 50 people and even fewer who were willing to put up any money. The Ojai Valley athletic club is actually pretty reasonable. The membership for swim only is about $5/day.
Anonymous
22 Jun 09 at 2:35 pm
Villanova A-
Kids of Ojai C+
Recreation Dept. B-
OUSD C-
Anonymous
22 Jun 09 at 3:07 pm
Please see the May 27 OVN report on the NHS pool; 886 words of details about the summer schedule, repair needs, maintenance costs, health, safety and equipment regualtions, SRO, city-school district contracts, etc. Please pardon me for not reviewing it all this time around.
It appears that all the A students who read this story recognized that government regulations and insurance requirements & rates have changed since Nordhoff’s pool was first put into use, then maturely considered such impacts on a public school district’s finances.
Sondra Murphy
22 Jun 09 at 4:00 pm
Sondra yes we read the May 27th NHS. Thank you for making more excuses for the OUSD. You truly are their biggest fan and show it in every article you write. For a change why don’t you do some investigative reporting and represent all sides of the debate.
Anonymous
22 Jun 09 at 6:06 pm
Villanova-B
Meiners Oaks School-C+
Ojai Cops-D-
Trolley Drivers-D
Ojai Banks-D
Bicycle Built for 2-D+
Anyone named Zack-F
Seeing in a Pool- A
Swimming in said Pool- B
Raising the temperature of said Pool-A
Color of pool now-D-
Sausage McMuffin w/egg-D
Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit-D
Trout Fishing-C
Bass Fishing-C-
House Sitting-B
Living in Oak View-D
Living at Oak Grove-D
Planting an apple tree-D
Eating an Orange B+
Raking Leaves-C
Mowing the lawn on a riding mower-D
Milking Cows-B
Milking a goat-D
Getting arrested for speeding on a horse-D
Getting arrested by a horse-C+
Playing one on one with Shaq-D
Playing one on one with a seal in a pool with a water basketball hoop-A+
One Stop Shopping-C-
All you can eat buffet-B+
Surf and Turf-A-
Turf Toe-D-(ouch)
Sitting around the house-B
Swimming in a brown trout filled pool-D
BOWLING AT NHS HIGH POOL, PRICELESS.
Jean Luke Seagull
22 Jun 09 at 8:19 pm
Sondra Murphy couldn’t talk her way out of a wet paper bag.
Eels on top of Eels
22 Jun 09 at 9:32 pm
Wonder who Eels would be — that ditsy lady who thinks she can write and for some unknown reason is allowed to have a column in the newspaper? Unbelievable! I would like to read the entire paper, but that column is unreadable.
lawyer
23 Jun 09 at 12:42 pm
Villanova A
Sondra Murphy C-
Kelly Eels C
OUSD D+
Lawyers F-
Milking a goat A+
anonymous
23 Jun 09 at 1:53 pm
thank you Sondra, for passing along good news to our community, and for another well-written article
thanks
23 Jun 09 at 4:32 pm
How do you talk your way out of a wet paper bag? Maybe the trick is to not talk your way into one…
Maury Gould
23 Jun 09 at 5:28 pm
OUSD-B-
Having no fingers-C
Having no arms-D
Having no head-F
NHS Principal Doug Becker-C-
Having gums from a cadaver surgically implanted into your receding gumline-A+
Being a walrus-B-
Bureem Suprito
23 Jun 09 at 5:40 pm
I never paid for a chair in my life! Not my chair not my problem thats what I say.
Salvidor Wheelie
23 Jun 09 at 5:41 pm
How do you talk your way out you ask Mary? Obviously you wouldn’t know.
Slick Pepe the DESTROYER
23 Jun 09 at 6:00 pm
Maury Gould-0
Wet Paper Bag-1
Slick Pepe the DESTROYER
23 Jun 09 at 6:01 pm
Ojai is the kingdom of the corrupt city official. Tickets can be taken care of with cash if you find a crooked cop; I wont name any names, the council is grabbing with both hands, and running for the hills.
Concerned Doug
23 Jun 09 at 6:38 pm
Concerned Doug, tell us more. Is that why some people get permits and some don’t?
Anonymous Ray
26 Jun 09 at 7:33 am
All you can eat Anonymous Ray Jay Johnny Johnson Jr. What/of whom woudl you like to know? Ill spill my guts, Im an old man.
Concerned Doug
29 Jun 09 at 9:47 pm