With schools around the Verde Valley getting under way next week, the Sedona Community Pool is making the transition to its fall hours beginning Monday, Aug. 8.
“The schedule is going to change starting next week at the pool because of school going back into session,” city of Sedona Recreation and Aquatics Supervisor Rachel Murdoch said Wednesday, Aug. 3. “We’ll still be open quite a bit, but we have to cut some hours.”
Murdoch explained much of her workforce to run the Sedona Community Pool is made up of individuals 18 and under. Most are either in high school, or their first year of college, making it difficult for Murdoch to fully staff a public pool.
On the other hand, most of the kids and families that come during the day for pool time are back in school themselves, making for an easy transition for both parties.
“We’re still going to be open for nearly three months. This is a normal thing for us to do every summer. When it’s time for the kids to go back to school, it’s time to readjust our pool hours,” Murdoch said.
Murdoch did hire old Sedona Swim Team coach Erin Estes to give her some help during the Sedona Community Pool’s fall hours, and will still have pool manager Joe Perez on staff until the pool closes. Estes is currently the head coach at Mingus Union High School, and is running the Cottonwood Swim Team program.
According to Murdoch, the Sedona Community Pool is scheduled to close for the winter Friday, Oct. 28. It will open again sometime around Memorial Day weekend in May.
Although closing the last week of October could pose a problem for the Sedona Red Rock High School swimming team, Murdoch wanted to assure all those involved the pool would remain open for the Scorpions in November if need be. It would just be closed to the public.
Some seasons, the Scorpions do well enough to make it to various sectional and state competitions, which sometimes can go into early November.
The new fall schedule beginning Monday includes the Sedona Community Pool being closed between the hours of 7 and 9 a.m. during weekdays. During summer, the pool is open at this time.
Water aerobics will take place Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. while lap swim is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the same days. Open swim will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Scorpions swim team will be in the water from 3:30 to 5 p.m. throughout the week and the Sedona Swim Team will be there 5 to 6 p.m., with the pool closed to the public during those times.
Also, masters swim will take place every Monday from 6 to 7 p.m.
The Sedona Community Pool is set to be closed after 5 p.m. on Saturdays during the fall schedule and will be closed all day on Sundays.
Those interested in still taking swim lessons can pay for private lessons, but swim sessions no longer exist.
As for those people worried about water aerobics shutting down in October, Murdoch was happy to report the classes will be moved to a pool at a local resort for the winter, then return next May.
