JKPBSD Pools

Background Information:

Public Use of KPBSD Pool Facilities

Public Pool Use Limitations

Current use of the KPBSD pool facilities are primarily limited by two conditions; balancing demand with staffing costs, and maintaining security of the school facility.  In four pool locations; Homer, Skyview, Ninilchik, and Seldovia, current building configurations allow the pool area with accompanying lockers and showers to be secured independently from the school.  In those locations, the hours are limited only by demand.  With greater demand, staffing would be increased to accommodate greater public accessibility.

All four of these schools currently have public programs that operate during the school day.

The other three locations; Soldotna HS, Kenai Central HS, and Seward HS have limited use of the pool facility during school hours or take special precautions as the pool area cannot currently be isolated from the school.

Soldotna HS and Kenai Central HS could be secured if an alarm were installed on a required exit door from the pool area which would activate when the door was opened.  This would alert pool and school staff if unauthorized individuals entered the school facility from the pool area.  These two pools are currently open to public use before and after the school day.

There is no easy way to isolate the pool at Seward HS.  Circulation to the pool lockers and shower areas is shared with students using the building.  In addition, multiple required exits from the pool area exit into corridors of the school.  To circumvent this problem and maintain security, Seward HS requires that patrons participating in lap and parent/tot swim taking place during the school day, sign in and out at the school office.

Public Use of Pools

Published hours of times each pool is open to the public is somewhat misleading as there are numerous groups that use the facilities on a semi-regular basis.  As an example, Skyview pool schedule shows the pool used by non-school groups for 29 hours per week.  However, Community Schools currently uses the pool seven hours per week during non-scheduled time for a total public use time of 36 hours per week.

Past attempts to open the pools on weekends have not shown to be popular, and were discontinued.  The only weekend use currently is Seward, with a lap swim scheduled Sunday early evening.

Public Use Revenue

Currently, fees generated through public use fund all of the lifeguard staff, pay for all pool chemicals, and fund all miscellaneous equipment needed for the pools.  The general fund covers the costs of utilities, pool management, pool custodial use and any major maintenance repairs.

Each pool facility keeps generated funds separate, with balances ranging from approximately $7,000 to $80,000.

It should be noted that North Peninsula Rec Center Pool is funded through a service area via property taxes and does not depend on use fees as part of their operating revenue.  Patrons living within the service area are allowed to use the pool at no cost.  Current average daily use is approximately 173 patrons per day.

Pool Ownership

Currently, KPBSD school facilities which are not leased from third parties are owned by the Kenai Peninsula Borough.  As the actual owners, the Borough Assembly may need to take the lead role in determining the conditions surrounding the use of pools by third party organizations.