Ripple effect

While Marianne Gillespie watches her daughter take swim lessons at the city's Bobby Hicks public pool, her son waits in the bathroom.

That's because Gillespie doesn't want to pay extra for him to use the pool.

Since January, the city has charged residents a daily swim fee or, if they purchase an annual recreation card, they can buy a seasonal pass.

The recreation card also allows access to gyms and computer labs in city-operated community centers.

So what used to be free year-round for city residents now could cost as much as $275 a year for a family.

"It makes you hesitate," said Gillespie, who pays yet another fee for the swim instruction. "The city is struggling, yes, but it makes you stop and think, 'Do I want to do this?'"

The result, say some lifeguards, is that fewer children appear to be swimming in city pools after school and on the weekends.

Before the fees, "We used to get flooded with kids," said 18-year-old Kyle Kilgore, a lifeguard at Bobby Hicks, 4120 W. Mango Ave. "We had a hundred, maybe 130 kids during the public swim. Now it's more like 25, maybe 30."

It makes Kilgore wonder, "Now what are they doing?"

The real test will be this summer, said Linda Carlo, spokeswoman for the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department.

"We're just kind of kicking off pool season," she said.

Daily swimming costs $2 for children and seniors and $4 for adults. Residents can purchase a seasonal swim pass, which is good for about 15 weeks, at $25 for individuals or $75 for families - but they also have to buy the annual recreation card, which costs $15 for individuals and $50 for families.

It costs even more for residents outside city limits, who must pay up to $115 a year for an individual recreation card and up to $400 a year for a family one.

Some parents and children have arrived at city pools only to leave disappointed: They didn't bring any money.

Part of the confusion is that these fees are relatively new, Carlo said.

Only five of Tampa's 13 public pools are open year-round, she said. With the rest opening Memorial Day weekend, many families are just now learning they have to pay to swim.

The new fees are necessary, city leaders say, because of budget cutbacks in the past year. The city's after-school programs went from $12 a year to $25 a week, and summer camp went from $70 for 10 weeks to $55 a week.

Since Oct. 1, when the first of the fees went into effect, the city has raised more than $800,000. But the after-school program has seen a marked decrease in enrollment, from 1,710 to 784 citywide, according to city figures.

Some programs offer scholarships and financial assistance, but Carlo said such help is not available for swimmers.

"The pools are the most expensive things we operate," she said.

Five city pools, including Interbay, Davis Islands and Cuscaden, will be closed this summer for maintenance, Carlo said.

In addition to the new fees, swimmers younger than 18 will have to take a swimming test that must be repeated annually. Those who can't swim must wear a red wristband and be supervised by a parent or guardian.

Kids older than 8 who pass the swimming test can stay at the pool without parental supervision, but all younger children must have a parent or guardian with them, Carlo said.

Swimming times also vary from pool to pool, she said. At Bobby Hicks, open swimming for all ages is from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

But at Sulphur Springs, open swimming is from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.

The hours are set by facility supervisors based on how residents use the pools, Carlo said.

"Each facility is so diverse," she said. "The hours should reflect the usage."

For information about the new fees, go to http://tbo.ly/poolfees.