Great pool, surprised myself that I really enjoyed the heated water. Thanks for the swim, Balboa - keep it nice! read more

Very crowded pool Snorkeling equipment allowed so pool is like swimming in the ocean. Swimmers are wild and you can expect to get kicked! Swimmers constantly cut by not going to end before turning for return lap. Swimmers hacking spit in pool wells! Saw a Swimmers get in pool with dirt covering her bottom feet! Some lifeguards need to do a better job of managing pool activity. Large fins make for unfair swimming conditions! Overall Balboa pool could do with some user friendly changes. Very disappointed experience. A lifeguard made me get in the slow lane to accommodate a Snorkeling swimmer so I had to wait for clearance to do my laps! I felt discriminated because I wasn't on the scuba team!!!​ read more

Only half the pool is available for family play while the other half is reserved for laps. Feel ls like that leaves both with not enough room. It can get pretty crowded. read more

Nice place to get some laps in. I like that it is remodeled, clean, and easy to find parking. The location is mostly residential, so there is not too much to do after your swim besides buy a sandwich from the corner store or get some Hawaiian shaved ice. The time that I went, it was not too crowded too, and I like that. There are no private showers and you need to bring your own towel and soap, but I am here to exercise and not to be pampered, so I think it's still worth coming here. read more

***** 8/18/24 Excellent find! Park/Rec pool is a hidden gem. Staff is always friendly, helpful and attentive. Bargain entrance fee. Facilities are always clean. Need more shower heads in Women facilities (only 3). Little Mermaid read more

The pool is great. Love the staff. I'm a fan! The fact that there is parking or often fairly easy street parking is great. I would come more often if there were after work water exercise time slots. More after work or even Sunday options would be really helpful to folks who work a regular schedule. read more

Love swimming at Balboa Pool! Great facility, friendly staff and a great community of swimmers!

First time going to this pool since living in the area for a few years. Older man with a pot belly was a complete asshole at the door, not the least bit inviting or informative about how the facility works. If you don't enjoy your job, find another one!!! The locker room was standard and kinda funky, floors were dirty so bring some flip flops . Pool itself was nice but a bit crowded. Swimmers in the same lane kept Swimming into me. Wish there were more available swim times not during a 9-5 work week... Sunday's would be great. read more

Wonderful clean, bright pool! The most important part - it's warm! I went at 12:30 and there were about 15 people, the pool has 6 lanes and one shallow pool where adults swam too, so not sure how shallow it really is. I wish the locker room was a bit larger with sections to avoid any awkwardness for shy people but it didn't bother me. read more

Balboa Swimming Pool - Great pool! Took this photo before the scheduled time started. - Swimming Pools Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a spiffy-looking joint as it only reopened this past February & that's a plus. A minus is the fact that there would appear to be no till at the entry/reception area. One can either buy a pass of some sort (10 visits, one month, one year) online or pay an exact amount of six dollars for a single visit to the pool. Bring in the payment paperwork & exchange it for a tiny plastic doohickey to put on your keychain. Scanning the barcode each visit is not always simple. There's usually some glich with the computer system & folk are often asked to scan their bar codes twice. You will not know how many visits to the pool you have left if you've purchased a 10-visit pass, so, if you've not written it down somewhere, you will need to ask upon entry. All public pools in SF function this way and (this payment set-up) is about as efficient as Muni's. There's a huge laundry list of rules at the entrance as well that many visitors don't choose to follow (swimming in t-shirts &/or full on work out gear, bringing your second grade son into the women's changing area, kids diving into the pool) and aren't getting called out on, so just do what you like, I guess. The ladies' change room is fine as long as there aren't too many other folk (4-5 other women) in there with you. There's a narrow bench about ten feet long in front of a bank of lockers and a two-seater bench adjacent to another series of lockers. One may find that people who aren't swimming, but for some reason need to be in the changing room with their whole family, will be sitting on the bench you would wish to use in order to change out of your clothes or wet bathing suit. My advice is to get good at balancing on one leg. Unlike the public pools (and museums of Europe) that have a lock and key system whereby the key is freed and worn on one's wrist once a coin deposit is given, lockers here are only secured when one brings one's own lock. Most folk who use the Balboa pool deposit their belongings in lockers sans locks. Expect to open and close many-a locker before finding an empty one on busy swim days. There are two showers in the communal showering area with a third around a wall that is meant for those with limited abilities to use. I find it's often used by body-shy people. That's fine as the other showers work perfectly well and the hot water flows. They've recently posted signs in the ladies' shower stating that one should limit their shower activities to no more than 3 minutes' duration. These signs are about as effective as an umbrella made of fishnet. During the spring, lap swim and recreational swim are always paired Monday through Friday (Thursday has neither at the mid-afternoon time slot). Rec swimmers will be given a space along one of the poolsides & lappers will swim adjacently. At the weekend & over the summer months, these activities are divided into separate time slots entirely. But just like all the humans with their dogs running around on the athletic field directly in front of the pool facility that is a 'no dogs allowed' zone, you rec swimmers during assigned rec. swim time will invariably be contending with lappers who will swim at you, arms a-flapping with no regard for others. There's an especially delightful woman who does a version of the backstroke where her arms repeatedly shoot out perpendicular to her body & slap the water as she scoots across the pool. Expect to repeatedly have water be splashed in your face by this person. Bonus: She may even swim into you, not say a word & just keep on truckin'. Parking lot fills up quickly with folk parking illegally along the side of the facility facing San Jose Ave. in a pinch. Street parking is hit or miss. Fee-based swim lessons are to be had at various public pools around the city, Balboa pool included. Create a user profile in order to log-in to the Parks and Rec website and purchase the course you'd like via the main registration page. Choice courses go quickly. You may request to be put on a wait-list in the hopes that a slot will open. PS: ph. no. listed for Balboa Pool is disconnected. Other nos. attached to the facility funnel you to a recorded message re: general pool activity schedule. You cannot talk to a staff person unless you are already at the pool. read more

Balboa Swimming Pool - After the remodel there are still only 3 showers total in this massive pool facility. (3rd ADA compliant shower behind a wee wall.) - Swimming Pools Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a beautiful pool!!!! This is definitely a hidden gem. I love that they have the heater on, so when your kids get out the pool they are not freezing. I love that they have a separate pool for those that can't swim and part of the other pool roped off for beginner swimmers. You can't beat the price either. $7 for adults and $1 dollar for children. Spectators are FREE. Not only is the pool nice, but the outdoor playground/park is nice too. Plenty of grass to either lay out or chase your dog or kids around. They have basketball hoops and tennis courts too! The locker rooms are clean and everything looks up to date. read more

Ive been looking for a good affordable swimming pool for lap swimming for a few years... and i finally found one i totally love! It belongs to Parks and Recs and it was just remodeled.. The water is around 82°F..which is perfect( not cold..brr)..and its clean too! Its indoors but it totally feels like outdoors cuz of the glass wall looking out to green grass field...and lots of sky. I gets to 10 feet deep..wow.. never swam in one of those..it feels crazy. Oh... and its $6 to get in..and 10 min. away from my house!:) hehe.. Im in heaven.. and so excited to be able to swim on the regular base again. Few things can be better: Shower need more benches or stools, shower water pressure, need more shower towel hangers. And thats it!! Everything else is perfect. thanks to SF Parks and Recs! read more

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I had the same experience as Autumn C. today In regard to the older gentleman. He was extremely rude to my daughter and charged her to use the pool instead of activating her summer swim pass when she tried to hand him her receipt of purchase. He was equally as rude and unhelpful when I went to clear up the matter. Such a bummer because this was our first time there. The facility itself was a little crowded today but was nice, according to my daughter. We love Balboa Park and I wish I could say the same about the Balboa Swimming Pool. read more

This is such a nice public pool. Recently renovated! So clean and nice. Locker rooms are clean pools are clean and people that work here are nice. It's on $7 to drop in, much cheaper than a gym membership. read more

Balboa Swimming Pool - Front of facility - Swimming Pools Near Me - San Francisco, California

Swimming pool is very nice and staff is friendly. Just don't try taking photos, the life guards are extremely strict about photos. In this new era of social media is the only thing that takes away from the pool. No photos to share on this review :( .... read more

The pool is overall nice. But hardly any showers. And not enough bench space for everyone to change! There is literally no changing area besides those benches. So when you have a class leaving and a class entering it gets crowded. No space and have to wait for place to sit your stuff down while you are dripping wet. For a renovation I expected it something like Hamilton pool or even Garfield (the had individual changing areas as well as benches everywhere. Also, shower privacy would be nice (like Hamilton) read more

The pool is nice and new. Plenty of street parking or you can park inside the lot. Entrance free is $6, bring exact amount, they won't have change The men's locker room lacks benches to sit while you change. Space is also quite limited when changing. Total of 3 non-covered showers. Could be a short wait to rinse or shower. Locker lacks a hand drying machine at height so you can dry your hair (guess I'm spoiled by other pools?). The locker room itself seems clean The lap swimming for the pool is great. Separated by slow, medium, and fast swimmers. The slow lane, which I was in could be a bit congested. Swim counter clockwise and don't make the mistake I did read more

I've visited this pool twice since the re opening, once for the Tuesday exercise class and then a Wednesday lap swim. The staff was nice and friendly and all the equipment is new and shiny! One note to make is that for the women's showers the hot/ cold water decal is misleading. You need to turn the handle all the way open toward the "cold" water side to get hot water. So there IS hot water in the showers! I will be going again to the Tuesday class and dragging my cousin along. The instructor was very nice and helpful and its a great way to get in the water and get moving! I really recommend it! read more

Fine enough pool, nice temp at 82 degrees, not too crowded in general. But coming here is a bit of a hassle because of the way it's operated. First, they make you bring cash only and EXACT CHANGE! Requiring exact change is a passive-aggressive way to tell your customers that you despise them and hope they go to hell. There are also an insane number of arbitrary rules so that every move you make runs you the risk of a loud whistle, angry glare, and public shaming. The Nanny City of SF strikes again. So if you need a pool in a pinch, this place exists. Just don't get your expectations too high. read more

From other yelp reviews you'll hear: -There are NO showers -There are NO hand dryers, hair dryers or nice lockers rooms -There IS a warm, indoor pool -There ARE friendly staff This is all true. However, this isn't Equinox or Club One. You aren't paying $100/month for your membership. This is a SF Rec & Parks pool. At least the pool is open and is only $5 for lap swim. For the cost of your daily Starbucks Frappachino, you are paying for the lifeguards, pool maintenance, facility maintenance, and the lights that are on in the bathroom. If you want towel service, hair dryers and shampoo in the showers, head to a more expensive gym some where else. Now, after that rant...I must mention that the pool is longer than what most peps are used to - 33 1/3 yards (most pools are 25 yards). For lap swim its divided into 3 large lanes - fast, medium, slow. Even though the lanes are giant, still circle swim. Don't know what that means? Ask the super friendly lifeguards. Days/times the pool is open can be found on SF Rec & Parks website. Changes seasonally. read more

I've been using CCSF's new pool for the past year and a half, and I didn't know how good it was until I visited Balboa's pool for a swim. Just for comparison... - There are no hand or hair dryers. - There is no tiling or any kind of flooring in the locker rooms, just bare concrete. - There are no showers. The 'showers' that they have are just for rinsing off and lasts for a few seconds before they shut off on you. - I have to beat my bag into the lockers because they're so tiny. And old too, some on the lock handles are broken. - There are no mirrors. The one in the restroom was so old that nothing reflected off it and did not resemble a mirror. - The water is cloudy sometimes. And long, loose hairs always manage to get caught up in my fingers. And MOUTH! (The water's crystal clear at the CCSF natatorium.) - Sava and CCSF have swimsuit spin dryers, why can't Balboa? - Locker rooms ARE DRAFTY! I'm guessing there's no thermostat, since they leave the windows open all day long in the locker rooms whether it's cold or hot outside (usually cold!). - They make you enter through the side door to get to the pool sometimes (when you get there late in the hour). Other than the need for a renovation, the crowds aren't too bad and the water is usually at a nice temp. Oh, and I HATE having to wait until people are done rinsing off before I can enter the locker room to change (when you have to enter through side to get to the lockers). Who's bright idea was it to place those showers as the entrance to the lockers?! By the way, this pool was obviously made for children -- the benches, toilets, sinks, and lockers are the perfect height for the hobbits. read more

Great location inside a huge, beautiful hidden park in San Francisco/Mission Terrace! (right off of the J-Church line) The pool's currently closed for major a renovation of the pool, the building and and the surrounding area. I've heard construction will be finished sometime in 2017. Can't wait! read more

I've been waiting for the newly renovated pool for many months. It has a nice field at its front, a large parking lot, an airy feel with glass walls BUT BUT BUT... First: the water is too warm. do they want swimmers or just waders? and it's not just me, one of the guard on duty that day agreed with me. you cannot lap swim for an hour in this tepid water! Second: there are literally 3 showers in women's lockers room (plus 2 at the pool side). at Sava pool, with a double number of showers i had to wait in line sometimes, but here do they expect to have their facilities forever un-crowded? Third: the shower is miserable: i understand due to drought the water pressure was put to minimum, but come on, try to even rinse out the pool water in 3 minutes, since other people might be waiting for you... and worse of all, i could not get warm water that day, whatever i did to the handle! i'd not be surprised if they'll have to fix the handles very often. whoever masterminded the renovation: thumbs down! such a waste! hope they will at least fix the pool water temperature and the shower... read more

No frills pool for cheap lap swimming. As others have stated, this place doesn't have many amenities. However, you're only paying $5 to swim so you shouldn't be expecting much. I came in with this understanding and I'm fine with it. If I wanted more, I'd spend the extra cash and go to a gym w/ a pool. Even then, I've gone to gyms that had smaller pools or had a certain stench to it. This is better than those. Basically, you get a big, warm pool and that's about it. I use the showers to rinse off the chlorine and then take a real shower at home. Lifeguards are friendly and everyone there seems to be respectful of each other. Can't really ask for much more. read more

Located at San Jose Avenue and Havelock Street in the Ingleside District. Pool is indoors. The dimensions are 100 feet long x 40 feet wide, 4 to 10 feet deep. Water temperature is maintained at 80 degrees. A good pool to visit. read more

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Sometimes you want to swim! Great parking situation, to me it was worth driving a little further south than I wanted to be able to pull up in front and park for free. However, the cashier didn't have change when we entered so plan ahead! We ended up having to pay a little more than the $6 we had anticipated ($5 for adults, $1 for under 17). The locker rooms were spacious but I don't know how clean they were. We got there as the pool was opening and we found a used feminine hygiene item in one of the lockers, so I'm not sure how thorough a going over they got. There were areas in the locker room that looked like they were intended to have curtains for the shy; it would be nice if they did because otherwise the shy clog up the bathroom changing in the stalls. The lifeguards were for the most part friendly, although there was a crabby eye-roller. The other 5/6 were great, though, so on balance friendliness reigned. The pool was crowded if you are swimming in the non-swimmer area. There is a basketball hoop so for me this meant occasionally getting hit in the side of the head with a stray ball. We quickly moved to the deep end, which contained about ten people, plenty of room to swim. And the price is right! We're planning on trying the other public pools in San Francisco so it's possible this pool's rating might go up or down when compared with our other choices. Right now I'm afraid my only other indoor public pool experience was Crescent City's, which is hard to be compared to. read more

If this pool is getting an upgrade like another yelper suggested, then it might have something going for it. The pool complex has got a sterile, cold, prisonlike feeling to it. The water is maintained supposedly at the high 60s-low 70s, but definitely doesn't feel like it. The locker room is concrete with old lockers and blah floors. Unlike the newer renovated pools, they have no dryers or curtained off changing areas. The showers are like a prison line: visible to the pool patrons (read as: not in the dressing room) you line up and one person pushes a handle turning on all the shower heads for a few minutes. The pool itself is a good enough length: not as short as Sava's. For lap swim, they have flippers and kickboards, and for rec swim it's quite lively: they bust out the pool noodles and balls and nets. To be fair, I may be comparing it to the newer SF pools, but if you don't have a choice, this one will do just fine. read more

This review is solely about the exterior. Nice job on the renovations. It really helps the neighborhood. One thing - the exterior concrete walls really need to be painted or sand blasted. It's a shame to put so much time and money into it and not finish the job. read more

I dont know what people are complaining about? This is an awesome place to swim!!! The staff is friendly! The locker rooms are huge! The water is warm! The only drawback is that there are no showers except the ones that you use to enter the pool and parking is a bit limited. Otherwise, I usually go to this place...... read more

The experience since I was a kid has excited me more. The new look is amazing. The staff is very professional and show their concerns for the people. My children have a great time read more

I came here a couple of times with my friends when I was a kid, and now I take MY kid here. It's convenient for me because it's within walking distance of my new apartment, and Roxie's is across the street which is coo because for some reason I get hella hungry after swimming. The only flaw here is that it is only open to the public on Saturday from 1:30 - 3:15. But besides that, the price is coo and the lifeguards seem strict so they keep the bebe's kids in check. read more

Rec swim is pretty fun!!! Can swim a lil and bs! Played basketball in the pool since there is a side court and tossed the ball like water polo. Staff are pretty great! Can't wait to start volunteering here again soon! However, It'd be cool if they renovated the lockers, showers, bathroom, and benches. read more

Praise for life guards. They are well trained. Their warning, and conducts are very appropriate to keep everyone to be safe at the pool. I went to this pool with my kid. Our regular pool: Y Embarcadero or Chinatown, North Beach public swimming pool. This is our first visit to this pool. I have a week off from my work;therefore, I feel very adventurous to visit other pools in the city with my kid. Re:Balboa Swimming pool No real showers - really. I already resisted to enter the pool. Do you think that usage of mist showers enough for us to enter the pool after the restroom visit? I smell so much chlorine after this visit. Pool - Okay, temp. But feel cold due to the size of dorm. Not recommended for an infant. No hair dryer - Oh, I should have brought a knit cap to avoid getting cold. No spin dryer - I am glad to have a plastic bag in my bag. Bare concrete floor - well, I am not sure if this floor is clean enough to walk around. Also, the floor is wet. Hard to find a dry place and I am getting cold head to toe without a hair dryer. I wish that you will be the next to be renovated. Sincerely, read more

I was truly excited to have the pool open and so close to home. This was a chance for my daughter and I to do some exercise together. Today, we went to the lap swim 3-4:30 and were witness to a homeless person pretty much taking a bath in the small pool fully clothed! Omg, the smell was beyond and the fact that the life guard barely made an attempt to say something but didn't! The teen staff in the front were clueless and had no idea! Bummer! Won't be coming back read more

We were really disappointed with our experience at the Balboa swimming pool. My husband and I took our 2 small kids swimming there a few weeks back and we will not return. First, the pool was really cold and about 1 hour of swimming was too long in that cool water. However, our main complaint was the micromanagement of our time there by the lifeguards. One particular guard was kind to us, but the other 2, within one hour's time, managed to reprimand me (a grown woman) for getting into the pool the wrong way on the ladder and for having my daughter have her hands around my neck and float behind me while I swam along. One also reprimanded my husband for taking our son into too deep (their opinion) of water. It was seriously ridiculous and I felt about 5 years old, not being able to enjoy my time with my family because I wondered what I was going to be scolded for next. I don't mind if the lifeguards are all about safety, but when they begin to take away my ability to make some decisions (using my own common sense and knowledge of my children) as a person and parent, it becomes ridiculous. As I said, we will not be returning to this pool, nor would I recommend it to anyone else. read more

I don't understand some of the bad reviews here. If it's a public pool, it's going to be a given that there's no special treatment here and it must have been a shocker to many that there's no personal masseuse standing by and handing you a towel with your initials on it (sarcastic). Yes, there are newly renovated pools that are more modern and equip, but I don't see any donations contributed to make this place better so let's just take it as it is. So here are my reasons why I gave this place 3 stars, let's start with the positive. I went with my family (mom and pregnant sister) on a Thursday at 3pm. It was not crowded at all. The staff were friendly and the fellow swimmers were also respectful of each others' space (not to mention there were kids there). The lockers are a bit run down and it doesn't have all the special gadgets, but as long as I have a place to shove my belongings to a locker and a place to change into my clothes, that's all I really need. Just to clarify the other reviews about the "open showers" they have there, they have NO showers and the 8 spouts that opens to the pool is for people to pre-wet themselves before they get into the pool and quick rinse after your swim. That's how it is with ALL pools, there's always a pre-wet area. So do not be confused about an "open shower" and don't be surprise when you don't see a bottle of shampoo and conditioner provided next to it. It would have been nice to have a shower area, but honestly, even if I had taken a shower there, I would have taken another one once I get home. I'm not much of a public shower person, it never really quite does the job as taking a steamy hot shower at home. What I like best about my experience was how the water was at the right temperature. You know how it's always awfully cold the first moment you dip your leg into the pool? Not in this one, the temperature of the water was warm (not to the point where it feels like you're in a bathtub) just right enough for you to feel comfortable to just dive right in. Especially when we went on a cold day, it definitely was a plus for us to just get right in without the chills. Onto the negatives, the lockers were a bit rusty, but it functions fine. The door literally doesn't open until a few minutes before the pool opens up so you might have to wait in the car or outside for a bit. I first thought $5 for an hour (recreation time) wasn't too bad of a price considering we're in San Francisco, but once the first 30 minutes is gone, I feel like time was passing by just too quickly. Before you know it, the whistle was blown and it was time to go. I know they are open for longer on Saturdays (about 2 hours duration), but it's the matter of if you want to swim freely vs swim cheaply. I guess I would rather have more space than to have to fight with the kids when they're out of school during the weekends. Overall, I got to swim in San Francisco on a cold day. I don't think I should complain much. read more

The girlfriend and I went to lap swim a few weeks ago and the first thing we noticed that there were no real showers and the place is really wet and cold. Our biggest complaint is that the older female lifeguard on duty is incredibly rude and obnoxious. Rather than calmly explaining the norms/rules of lap swim, the older lady lifeguard was rolling her eyes and yelling at me. Besides being unpleasant, we caught this lifeguard SLEEPING on the job. The last time I checked, lifeguards need to be AWAKE to actually save someone that is drowning. read more

Balboa is my local public pool. I have swam there over 20 times. I hate the super wide lanes, I want more lanes. Like other public pools in SF, most folks haven't a clue about lane etiquette and the lifeguards don't enforce it well at all, unless you tell them. The lifeguards are nice people I just can't figure out what's going on with people here. Here's a story. I swam competitively for years, played water polo did triathalons, so, I can swim. I show up at Balboa one day and the fast lane has 2 swimmers I know and they are good. I get in and double check that no one else is in the lane and start swimming while observing good spacing with the other swimmers. I'm about 15 yeards into the first lap and here comes Aquaman passing me from underneath replete with mask, fins and snorkel. He passes me from underneath in a shallow lane so I grab his fin and yank him up. I tell him that there is no way he should be swimming like that and he utters something unintelligible and I swim on. I swim 200 meters and come to the wall for a breather and the lady swimmer in the lane is taking a breather and she asks me what's up with the guy in the snorkel gear. He come to the wall for a breather and she asks him if she can go, he nods and so she takes off and then he quickly takes off underwater again and comes under her. She freaks out and stands up mid lap and he surfaces and she asks him what he's doing and again he mutters something strange. She is shaken and comes back to the wall where I've been watching and we compare notes. Now, there are lifeguards watching all this (right?) I have to call them over and say "lose this chump". It takes them like 3 laps to get the guy out and over to the slow lane where there rally isn't anyone swimming anyway. Before anyone says i'm being to harsh, there are rules posted. They are simple to read and understand. I think that they should make folks read them before swimming for the first time at the SF pools. If anyone having anything to do with public pools in SF reads this please change the stupid swim directions at Balboa, make more lanes and reasonably guide swimmers into the appropriate lanes and you'll probably attract more swimmers to your pools. read more

I've been here about 3 times, twice during the summer when it was a little bit more crowded when the kids were out of school. I recently went on a Sunday and it was very quiet. A plus that they have parking (mabye about 10 or so). A minus for not having a place to plug the hairdryer, nor do they have dryers. The showers are timed (esp with the budget cuts and h20 rationing). This is a very old bldg, with a row of 5 shower heads on each side. You have to pul the lever up to initiate the water flow. It's such a waste of water having all the waterheads go off when one has to pull the level. Oh and super plus for great hours. They 've got evening swim hrs for those working folks. And Sat hours as well. for those of us who no longer live in SF, that's a luxury. Functional, quiet, can get parking. read more

We have been waiting 2 years for this pool... that's a long time to wait... It is the closest pool to my house. But to tell you the truth, I feel disappointed in it and whenever I can I still try to go to the Coffman pool. What's wrong you will ask? A few things. There are not enough showers. The water was really cold the first two time I went... now it is kind of unpredictable. The worst part is how short the pool has become and how narrow the lanes are... To swim comfortably you need the whole lane to yourself. But that means that you could only have 6 people in the pool at the time. It is still possible to swim 2 people per lane but you really need to be considerate and watch out the whole time to be sure you don't hit the other swimmer or don't get hit. Basically you have to be on your guard all the time and it is no fun to stress about it when you are trying to relax. Once you add a third person to the lane, it becomes a real hustle and I guess I'd rather left than put myself through it. Maybe I am being selfish and a prima donna but swimming in those skinny lanes is just no fun... and getting there and trying to join someone else in their lane is kind of awkward as well. It is a pretty pool, though, with nice natural light..... read more