Ahwatukee YMCA to provide swim programs in Maricopa

The Ahwatukee Family YMCA will provide programs at the Maricopa Rotary Club Community Pool, located at 44240 W. Maricopa Casa Grande Highway, beginning in June.

The YMCA has been working with members of the community to begin providing services in the area. According to Don Pearce, a member of the Maricopa Rotary Club who served as volunteer Fire Chief of the Maricopa Fire District for 26 years, the pool was built in the late 1950s as a response to a disturbing trend.

With no public swimming pool in the area, and no other avenues for entertainment or group interaction, kids in the farming community were swimming in irrigation canals. Not knowing about the strong undertows that could be running underneath the calmer water on the surface, kids, and even their parents, were unaware of the danger of swimming in the canals.

“There were several drownings,” says Pearce. “It was very shocking and devastating to the small community.”

The Maricopa Rotary Club felt compelled to do something. They began taking a busload of kids to the nearest community pool, which was in Chandler. But that was only a temporary solution as the kids loved it, and soon there were too many kids who wanted to go. “There was a line of kids waiting,” said Pearce, “and, unfortunately, we had to start turning kids away.”

Then one member of the Rotary Club, John Smith, donated land for a pool; from there the momentum built, with other members of the Rotary contributing supplies and labor to make the pool a reality. Today, the pool is still the only community pool in the area. It has provided swimming lessons and free swimming for the community for nearly 50 years.

According to Pearce the pool is the oldest concrete pool still in use. Rotary has maintained the pool, believing it should serve the community as long as possible. However, the Club has been challenged by the manpower and funding needed to maintain the pool, hire lifeguards and swimming instructors and keep the pool open all summer.

Leann Knox, the executive director of the YMCA in Ahwatukee first heard about the pool a few months ago. “It just seemed natural for us to help,” she says. “The YMCA has been providing swimming programs for 150 years. More people have learned to swim at the YMCA around the world than anywhere else.”

After a thorough inspection and some hard work by the Rotarians, the pool is almost ready for summer fun. Beginning on June 11, the YMCA will offer open swim, swimming lessons, water aerobics and other programs at the pool.

Family Fun Week will be celebrated at the pool from June 12 -16 to kick off the YMCA/Rotary partnership. Families can learn CPR, first aid and water safety – all while having cool, refreshing summer fun that will continue a rich history in Maricopa.

“We are very excited to have Maricopa join the YMCA family,” said Knox.

Swim lessons will be offered for a fee beginning on June 18, click here to download a schedule. As is the case for all YMCA programs, financial aid is available for those who cannot afford it. For more information, or to register for classes, go to www.valleyYMCA.org, or call (480) 629-4815.