News Release
The Pool Has Opened
The Patagonia Pool opened for the first time this year on April 16 for laps and water aerobics—and the heater is working! The water temperature started at 78F and got up to 81 by closing.
The pool was open twice more during April and will be open more days in May—hopefully, 2-3 days per week based on staff availability. Watch the PRT Weekly Email newsletter for dates and times during May. Whether or not the pool is open depends largely on the availability of lifeguards, most of whom are volunteers during the extended season.
The regular pool season will begin May 28. As in the past, the pool will be open six days per week with the schedule expected to be the same as it has been: 9am-10:30am – Lap swim, 10:45am-11:45am – Water Aerobics, with swim lessons (free) and open swim after that.
The regular season will end July 26, with the schedule and duration of the extended season to be determined. Funding permitting, we aim to operate a year-round, warm-water Patagonia Pool!
Pool use fees are $5 per day. You can also get an in-season pass, good for May 28-July 26, for $100, or an annual pass for $200 which is good every day we are open in 2024, both in-season and extended season!
Heater history
After an ambitious fundraising campaign by the Patagonia Regional Aquatics Center (PRAC)— the funding entity for the pool—the heater project began during Spring break in March, 2023. In June 2023, PRAC ordered the heater. However, due to unavailability of parts, the heater wasn’t completed until September. Upgrades had to be performed on most of the existing infrastructure (electrical, gas, water), and each step required coordination of all the involved entities. Several parts were back-ordered, causing further delays. On October 31, the heater was delivered and installed—but did not fire up. It was determined that further upgrades, and larger regulators and meters, were needed. On January 4 and February 5, there were further attempts to fire up the heater—both unsuccessful. Further upgrades to the gas line and the plumbing connections were needed.
On March 25, the heater successfully fired, and reached its setpoint of 75F within 24 hours. After putting the solar pool cover on, the temperature continued to rise, reaching 81F in 48 hours after starting. This is promising, suggesting that between the heater and the pool cover, the pool should be able to maintain a comfortable water temperature without running the heater excessively.
Finances
PRAC has raised over $20,000 thus far in 2024. This includes partial funding for lifeguards which has been provided by the South32 Hermosa Community Fund held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona and the Patagonia Regional Community Fund held at the Arizona Community Foundation.
It costs approximately $75,000 to operate the pool for 100 days—which encompasses the regular season as well as an extended season into September. Between grants, donations, pool fees, and fundraisers, these goals have been met every year and should be this year as well. With the new heater, we plan to keep you swimming even longer—the days might get colder, but the water will be warm!
Donations may be sent to PRAC at PO Box 1052, Patagonia, AZ 85624 or made online at patagoniapool.org.
Need for volunteers
In order to sustain this Herculean effort, more volunteers at all levels are needed! There is a need for board members, someone who can manage the establishment of an investment fund to ensure the longevity of the pool (training is available), maintenance, fundraising, grant writers, yard sale volunteers, lifeguards, and the “911 person”—someone who sits by the pool with a cell phone in case there is an emergency. Every little bit helps!
Email list and Contact
To be put on the pool email update list, or to be connected to volunteer opportunities, please contact clarebonelli@gmail.com (no i in clare!). Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/PatagoniaPool/ and online at patagoniapool.org.