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Hi everyone. I live in the NW. How do Public Pools work out here? Do I have to join for the entire summer? Or can I pay as I go? Are there restrictions as to what pools I can go to? Etc.
Back east we could be members to any pool as long as we paid the summer long membership fee. Or you could pay as you go if wanted to only go a few times a season.
We've been to all but one of these pools on the west side.
You can pay as you go or get a pass. Entrance at most city pools is around $2.50 (for youth -- less for very young children, a little more for adults) except for the West Mesa Aquatic Center. It's $3.00 there, but they have family swim nights on Friday nights where it's only 50 cents admission. In the daytime there are three pools open there -- an indoor play pool with water toys that spray, and a big slide; an indoor lap pool w/ diving boards, and an outdoor pool that also has a slide. Admission gives you access to all three pools assuming there aren't any swim meets going on. During family swim night, I think just the one indoor play pool is open. It's a ways south for us (still on the west side near I-40 and Coors), but it's the pool my kids favor the most.
Then there's the Paradise Hills pool near Ventana Ranch. It's small but quaint and also has a slide (outdoor pool). It was recently renovated. The cost is about a dollar less than the city pools. This pool is run by the county. http://www.bernco.gov/upload/images/...Summer2010.pdf
We took the kids to the West Mesa Aquatic Center today for what we thought would be a fun afternoon of swimming. The pool opens at 12:30, so we arrived at 12:00 knowing there would be a line to get in.
While waiting in line, at least 100 people cut in line as they arrived at the pool. It was very annoying to see families show up right at opening and just slip into the line or see someone they knew and say, "Hey!" and then step in line with them. The line moved very slowly partly due to this.
We finally arrived near the building entrance at 1:15pm. There were 7 people in line in front of us, when a woman came outside and announced that the pool was at capacity and no one else would be allowed entrance until people left. Since we were so close, we decided to wait. At 1:30 (an hour after the pool opened), 3 people left. A family of 4 people were allowed to enter. We though, "Yay! Three more people and then we're in." At 1:45 the same woman came out and announced that a child had "used the bathroom" in one of the the indoor pools so that pool had to be evacuated to be cleaned which would take at least 45 minutes. She said that that put the other two pools way over capacity. Therefore, no one would be allowed in while the one pool was being sanitized, even if other people left.
Needless to say, we left very disappointed and ended up going to the Paradise Hills pool. I remember last year we arrived at the West Mesa pool after the opening time and found about 100 people waiting outside because the pool was at capacity. I guess this is an ongoing problem now because this never used to happen to us (we've gone to this pool since it opened several years ago), but this has now happened two summers in a row (and two times in a row).
So, I don't recommend going to the West Mesa Aquatic Center in the summer. It's just too crowded and the wait in line is long and hot.
Can anyone here give me any stories, info on which CC might be best for me?
I live in Rio Rancho, but am open to considering CC's further in the city. Tanoan may be the best option for me because I know people who are already members there, but it's not the only option I consider.
Mainly I'm looking for something with good golf, tennis, and swimming amenities, but tennis is perhaps the most important. I don't necessarily need the fanciest of surroundings, but a genteel ambiance is certainly a plus.
A co-worker is not a member of a country club but is an avid tennis player. Per my co-worker, Taonan has the best tennis facilities of the country clubs. Avoid Albuquerque Country Club (went downhill since tennis pro left) and Rio Rancho ?Chamisa Hills as the courts are very poor. Although not a country club, my co-worker is a member of the Tennis Club of Albuquerque (TCA) and recommends it. The TCA also has a swimming pool. But I don't think my co-worker has that much of a a genteel ambiance ;-)
A co-worker is not a member of a country club but is an avid tennis player. Per my co-worker, Taonan has the best tennis facilities of the country clubs. Avoid Albuquerque Country Club (went downhill since tennis pro left) and Rio Rancho ?Chamisa Hills as the courts are very poor. Although not a country club, my co-worker is a member of the Tennis Club of Albuquerque (TCA) and recommends it. The TCA also has a swimming pool. But I don't think my co-worker has that much of a a genteel ambiance ;-)
Tanoan does seem to be the place to be these days. Four Hills is now Canyon Hills and they're turning it into a crappy corporate for profit CC, I want NO part in that.
I must ask, why is ABQ CC not what it used to be? Wasn't it like, the premier CC in the city at one time?
Yes, I do consider TCA as I played college tennis freshman year at UNM (I'm a sophomore now) and had friends who were members.
I guess that leaves Tanoan and TCA as the major options, and tbh, access to a private golf course is important too.
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Looking to join a country club in the ABQ area
