Mixed review. This a beautiful building with lots of facilities and recreation options. BUT ... The programming doesn't meet the needs the diverse population in the community, unless you are a kid or an adult who isn't working between 7am and 2 pm.... since the majority of classes are firmly geared to those 2 demographics.
The complex just opened at huge costs, funded in part by a parks and planning "fee" added to property taxes every year upwards of $500. The area was in sore need of a. New facility as the sad sad rundown offering at the Baden community center (6 miles away, a few rooms in a lower level school building) and Upper Marlboro (gym,small weight room with in 10+ years, mostly out of order aerobics equipment and few, very few classes).
So given that I've paid thousands of dollars towards run down facilities that don't offer much for tax-paying adults... I was very excited about the new SAARC opening.
The employees and volunteers were very enthusiastic and full of energy at the grand opening.
However I was very disappointed with their customer approach. As mentioned up top, there is very little in the way of appealing to WORKING adults, especially given the often epic commutes of 1-2 hours each way people in this area face. There are no significant work centers with professional wages nearby.
So if you need to dressed and encountered to work or don't arrive back in the home area, you can pretty much forget about attending swim, water aerobics and fitness classes. At least for the first few months this will be open.
Spring & summer 2020 offers 11 pages of classes including 8 different types of water-based fitness classes for adults (plus 1 senior-specific) .... one ONE of those is 6-6:45PM, all the rest including the senior are between 7 AM & 11:45 AM. Obviously not for worker bees who pay a lot of taxes in this county. If your retired or don't work...you're good to go. Oh yeah - none of those are on weekends and the sole evening class is SUP yoga, so trendy but niche.
Where are the adult swim and water fitness courses for evening and weekend when people aren't working or commuting?
The aquatic staff said they plan to have at least 1 lane for open swim and everyone else can "circle swim". There are 2 walled off areas for water fitness courses (3 or 3'6" deep), a water slide with walled off plunge area and a good size little tyke area with shower feature. There are 2 assistive chairs to provide access to the pool area for those who can't use stairs.
There are only 2 swim classes both mixed ages 14+, a beginner & an intermediate ... starting the same time on the dame day in a 50m, 6 lane pool. 8:15-8:45 PM. Hmmmmm
Adult (18+) Fitness classes fair better - hula hoop & yoga only in the morning, but all the spin classes beginner evenly split 6:30 AM or PM with intermediate spin, adult Pilates and boot camp in the evening ending 8:45PM , with additional mixed ages yoga and Pilates between 11AM & 1PM.
To be fair, if I want to hand dance, line dance, bop, African dance or learn Japanese martial arts, those are in the evenings plus the 1 Sunday offering.
Overall I really think the adult working population is only narrowly targeted. read more