With weather experts calling for persistently high temperatures through at least the end of this week, Gilroy residents and members of the public can cool off this summer at Christopher High School’s Aquatics Center.
The Aquatics Center on the Day Road campus is open six days a week (closed on Mondays) through Aug. 16. From Aug. 16-Sept. 6, the swim center will be open to the public on weekends only.
The center and its staff host swimming lessons in the mornings and evenings, with “rec swimming” open to everyone in the afternoons. Time slots throughout the week are also designated for patrons who want to swim laps in the center’s competition pool.
Swim instructors offer both group and private lessons, explained Amanda Morrill, Facilities Supervisor for the summer program.
Adults can swim at CHS for $12 per day; youth for $10; and seniors and military for $9 per day. Children aged 2 and younger can swim for free. Monthly and summertime membership passes are also available.
The summer program is operated by Swan Aquatics through a partnership with the City of Gilroy and Gilroy Unified School District. More than a dozen lifeguards and swim instructors are on site and on duty throughout the facility every day.
The CHS Aquatics Center is also the scene of ongoing summertime training and certification.
During a pre-lunch break, when the center was closed to the public for an hour on July 14, Head Guard Rico Rodriguez managed the training of a small group of young prospective lifeguards working on their certifications. Julz Deak, another Head Guard for the summer at CHS, placed CPR dummies on the patio for an “in-service training” session on emergency first aid.
In-service training, Deak explained, is designed to freshen up the skills and knowledge of even the most experienced lifeguards.
Christopher High’s swimming center features a competition pool as well as the open swim area. The latter includes slides, a wading pool, fountains and play areas. There is also a poolside patio and groups can rent the facility for pool parties.
The weather forecast for the rest of this week calls for ideal swimming conditions, even with temperatures dropping after Tuesday’s heat advisory. According to the National Weather Service, high temperatures will remain in the low 80s or hotter through Saturday.
For more information—including available classes, lessons and the times they are available at CHS—visit gilroyswim.com/.
