Fall and Bobbing for Pumpkins in a Pool!

The Arne Hanna Aquatic Center in Bellingham, Washington takes on an interesting approach to getting the community interested in the aquatic Center; swimming with 200 pumpkins!

In light of Halloween coming up in a few days, the aquatic center holds their annual "The Pumpkin Patch in the Pool" and has done so for the past 10 years. According to The Western Front, participants paid $5 to take a swim through the 200 pumpkins bobbing on the surface and eventually chose one to take home.

The aquatic center also offered a bob for apples after the swim. "All funds raised by the Pumpkin Patch in the Pool event go toward programs being run at the aquatic center."

Does your community aquatic center offer anything like this? If not, would it be something you and your family would be interested in doing? We would like to hear from you!



Source: Prosser, K. (October 27, 2009). Kids Pick Pumpkins from Public Pool. In "The Western Front." Retrieved October 27, 2009 from http://westernfrontonline.net/2009102711476/news/kids-pick-pumpkins-from-public-pool/.

CPSC In Full Charge

If your pool is not Virginia Graeme Baker compliant, you should probably contact us for help! The Consumer Product Safety Commission's staff (CPSC) has started making their rounds checking pools. Although, they will not say where the target areas are or where they have visited, we can tell you they have been in Northeast Ohio.

It seems the CPSC is targeting larger community pools. According to Pool and Spa News, "As of press time, the agency said it had checked approximately 900 pools and 300 spas in 700 locations. Approximately 80 percent were found to be compliant."

For those pools found to be non-compliant a letter was given. "The agency gave pool owners 10 working days to indicate in writing how the vessels would be fixed," this from Pool and Spa News. Fines can be anywhere from $100,000 to $15 million or even jail time.

The sticker shock may take your facility by surprise, but the price of main drain covers for larger facilities does run high. Beware of pool contractors that say they can make your facility compliant while asking for a larger than normal fee to do the job. High-Tech Pools, Inc. made The University of Akron, Kenyon College, Penn State campuses, water parks, hotels and residential pools compliant. We have experience, and we also have contacts to registered engineers.

Get compliant with High-Tech Pools, Inc.!



Source: Robledo, R. (October 7, 2009). CPSC’s Enforcement of VGB Signals Change in Approach. In Pool Spa News. Retrieved October 27, 2009. From http://www.poolspanews.com/2009/102/102n_enforcement.html

Playing Catch Up!

Two words: Closing Season! We apologize for the lack of posts for the month of September and most of October! Pool closing season gets busy! Please look for a few blogs today updating you on important happenings at High-Tech Pools, Inc.!