KROC: Swim times unsuitable

I understand that the Kroc Center needs to make money and serve the community … the Aquatics Center is getting out of hand with scheduling lane closures at peak swim hours for working swim patrons.

It used to be that the high school teams and classes would practice a few mornings a week leaving only two lanes for “open swim” for the rest of the members to swim. Now with Tuesdays and Thursdays being taken by classes and additional school swim practice, there are only four lanes open in the early mornings, making it nearly impossible to get a swim workout in before work. This issue will only get worse after the New Year and people start training for Ironman and upcoming spring triathlons.

I do not understand WHY the local schools cannot hold swim practice at 3 or so each day after school? This would leave plenty of lanes open for the adult swim community time to practice before work while the high school athletes could train/practice after school. With there being so many local swimming events, triathlons, etc., adult athletes are being squeezed out of the one decent pool in town because they have jobs, family life in the evenings, and need to work to pay for their memberships.

I think it is high time that the Kroc Aquatics Center take a hard look at their pool schedule and try to accommodate the community needs a little bit better.

ERIC PETERSON

Coeur d’Alene