Member Letter, 5/18/20
Blossomwood Pool Stockholders:
This is going to be a long post, but please read it in it’s entirely! In addition to this email, all this information will also be posted on the Blossomwood Pool website and Facebook page.
This email is intended to address the following:
1. Pool Opening
2. Member Splash and Payments
3. COVID-19 Update
4. Membership and Summer Dues
POOL OPENING
As of Monday, May 18,2020; we are still planning to OPEN on Friday, May 22, 2020 at 10:00 am. Operating hours, will be:
Monday – Thursday
10:00 am-8:00 pm Splash Pad and Small Pool
11:00 am-8:00 pm Big Pool
Friday
10:00 am-9:00 pm Splash Pad and Small Pool
11:00 am-9:00 pm Big Pool
Saturday
10:00 am-9:00 pm All Pools
Sunday
1:00 pm – 8:00 pm All Pools
MEMBER SPLASH & PAYMENTS
Member Splash is the new system we have implemented to bring the pool up to the 20th Century. The link is posted on the pool website. Please also bookmark it on your computer, laptop, cell phone, or tablet, or whatever you may use, it will make life easier for you.
We will also be using Member Splash to check people in at the pool; we will no longer be using the pen and paper sign in sheets. Please be patient with us as we transition to this new way of checking members into the pool. If you have not accessed your Member Splash account, please go in an update your family members prior to their first visit to avoid delays.
Hopefully, most of you have received the email I sent earlier with instructions on how-to login to Member Splash and how to change your password and make payments. For those of you that did not receive the email, please check your Junk/Spam folders and if you still do not have the email, please send an email to one of the following email addresses so we can get you set up as quickly as possible:
The EMAIL address that you were sent the information about Member Splash is your USERNAME. Please remember your PASSWORD; we are unable to look up passwords. I plan on being at the pool most of the day on Thursday and Friday, so if you need help with Member Splash, please feel free to stop by so I can help you.
Payments are Due by Friday, May 22nd, 2020.
Our General Waiver and Independent Swimmer form you can get it from our website to this email, so please print, sign and return the form to the pool when you come, or pick up a blank copy at the pool when you arrive. Next year, we will have this form in Member Splash for you to complete—baby steps!
COVID-19 UPDATE
Rocket City Swim League, Huntsville Swim Association and all the local Huntsville Pool Board Presidents have been having Zoom Meetings and exchanging emails for the past two months regarding pools and COVID-19. Needless to say, this pandemic has thrown a BIG monkey wrench in all of our summer plans!
Every pool facility is implementing their own guidelines in addition to the governmental guidelines. The Blossomwood Pool Board has decided to follow the recommended guidelines set forth by the State of Alabama and Local Huntsville Officials. Please know we are all working to keep our members and staff as safe and healthy as possible, so we need everyone to please do their part.
One of the recurring questions that we have all received has been, is the virus is transmissible in the pool water? According to the CDC’s website (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html) “there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water play areas. Proper operation and maintenance (including disinfection with chlorine) of these facilities should inactivate the virus in the water.” Our lifeguards and staff will monitor the pool chemicals throughout the day and ensure that the pool contains the proper levels for the safety of our swimmers.
Current guidelines regarding pools are vague and we technically do not fall into the category of a gym or athletic facility which have more specificity, but current guidelines are that outdoor pools are allowed to open provided we follow general social distancing of 6’, hand hygiene, and cleaning guidelines.
Important information regarding what the pool will and will not be doing during this time…
1. If you make the decision to come to the pool, you are doing this at your own RISK. Realize that nothing we do will keep everyone 100% safe.
2. Please perform proper hand hygiene and do it often! We have LOTS of hand sanitizer available to our members and staff. We also encourage everyone to please wash your hands with warm water and soap.
3. Social distancing. Please keep 6’ distance as best you can. We realize this may not be possible with some of the kids, but parents, you will be responsible monitoring your children for social distancing and hygiene. We will have tables spaced as far apart as we can with the limited space available.
4. Please use towels to cover chairs/loungers. The pool staff has cleaning supplies if you want to wipe down chairs/loungers prior and after use.
5. Pool staff will also be cleaning surfaces several times a day; members may also use the pool’s cleaning supplies to wipe down surfaces prior to touching/using.
6. Lifeguards are NOT 6’ social distancing police, their responsibility is to watch the swimmers in the pool and enforce pool rules.
7. We will NOT require members to wear masks. We will NOT provide masks. However, if you want to wear one, please feel free to do so.
8. We are NOT a medical facility, so we will not be taking temperatures of members that enter the pool house.
We realize that we cannot protect everyone, so again, if you make the decision to come to the pool, you are doing so at your own RISK.
We will be limiting guests to 2 people per Member family
Also, all large swim meets have been postponed (Rachel Clark and the swim team will communicate any and all swim team information with team members), there will be no private parties or pavilion rentals, no live music, and no Memorial Day, July 4th, or Labor Day potlucks/parties to help keep occupancy levels low to allow for social distancing. This is ALL subject to change depending on the spread of the virus, and we need to just be happy that we are being allowed to open.
**If you are exhibiting any of these symptoms please do NOT come to the pool, if severe go to the ER.** Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fever
Chills
Muscle pain
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell
MEMBERSHIP AND SUMMER DUES
Many of you may be thinking “why should I pay dues this summer if I do not feel comfortable using the pool?” The short answer is easy, because without your summer dues, our pool cannot operate. Your dues cover the operating cost of our annual expenses such as maintenance (our pool is over 50 years old so repairs are expensive), year round utilities, mortgage, chemicals, replacement equipment (broken tables, chairs, and grills and in 2019 we replaced the diving boards), new safety equipment (in 2019 we installed an AED and purchased new lifeguard buoys and a backboard), insurance policies and most importantly the staff that are here to ensure that all members are safe when visiting the pool! It costs approximately $130,000.00 to operate the pool on an annually basis and your summer dues are the only income the pool receives to operate, so without your dues, the pool simply cannot operate. We currently have approximately 300 member families paying $525.00 in membership dues which nets the pool ~$150,000.00 leaving us ~$20,000.00 to cover any increased costs in utilities, pool chemicals, unforeseen repairs, upgrades, pool readiness for the following year, and emergencies.
As a Blossomwood Pool Stockholder, you are asked to pay your summer dues each year to be considered a member in “Good Standing.” Members that do not pay annual summer dues are listed as being “Not in Good Standing” and are required to pay current and past dues to bring their accounts back into “Good Standing.” The Board has no plan to change this policy and/or waive dues this year if you choose not to pay this summer.
Payments are due by Friday, May 22nd, 2020.
Please know that if you are facing any financial hardships due to COVID-19, we are always willing to work with you to help ease the burden of paying your dues upfront, but this does NOT mean we can do this for all members.
Again, I apologize this is long email. You will see a lot of familiar faces returning like the staff and some new ones, so please be sure to introduce yourself to the new members of the team! Even with all this going on I am HOPEFUL that life will return to normal sooner rather than later and that we can ALL have a safe and fun summer at Blossomwood Pool.
Best Regards,
Jason Dilocker
Blossomwood Pool Board
President
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