Pāhoa Aquatic Center — Attraction in Hawaii

Love this pool! Wonderful to have a public pool in pahoa. The lifeguards are friendly! However, the way they manage the schedule could be communicated and perhaps organized, to be more useful and clear for the public who would like to use the pool. For example, they say they are usually open 8-4:45 with an hour between 12-1 closure for lunch. However, the actual pool for swimming is only open until 4:35 (in my experience) when they blow the whistle. You then have ten minutes to shower and leave , according to lifeguards. Advertising this detail online and on their voice message machine would help the public plan. Ten minutes makes a big difference when your taking your kids for a quick twenty minute afternoon swim before the swimming water of the pool closes (you thought at 4:45) and it turns into ten. Advertising real times for lap swim start & stop would be helpful. From experience, and talking to the lifeguards the lap swim start time on the hour (as advertised) actually starts ten minutes before the hour and ends at 35 minutes after the hour. This would be helpful to update and sync start times (pool clock) with real time so the public can plan in advance. The pool is often closed for routine maintenance (and recently due to staffing issues as well- according to them). Could maintenance be scheduled on the days the pool is closed to the public? On days when the pool has staffing shortages, and closes one hour early (happened 3 of the days we tried to go at 4pm in a row) the lifeguards told us they update the pool answering machine daily with that information, so now we know to call ahead before suiting up and driving down. Today, however, the machine said it was Monday (now Thursday), so I am left to guess. Perhaps it means no update or change from usual schedule (since Monday)? From a family and working persons perspective, the pool schedule in general is not ideal. Is there a public input to this schedule? Closing on Saturday is hard for families and those who work 9-5. Opening later and closing later, especially in the summer, would allow the pool to be used and enjoyed by more families and working people. Overall, awesome that Pahoa has a pool, but it could be even more of a benefit to the community if schedule was communicated clearly in the details of how it works out in real time and hours...

The pool itself is fine AS LONG AS YOU DON'T BRING SMALL CHILDREN THAT REQUIRE FLOATIES. Apparently they have a rule against any and ALL floatation devices due to the fact that parents keep leaving their children in their floaties UNATTENDED. I have seen it happen with my own eyes. Parents will straight up WALK AWAY from their children (under 3!!) and leave them to just bob around on their own WHERE THEY CAN'T EVEN TOUCH! I get why the rule was made, but you'd think that people would rather floating children than drowning children, because the rule isn't going to stop said parents from coming to the pool. At least change the rule to where if a parent gets caught leaving their kid, that they are asked to leave. Let us parents that DON'T leave their kids, have the floaties. I have 2 small children and it was literal hell trying to keep them safe and still let them play as the keiki pool was closed and there's no shallow end in the big pool. My daughter went under in the half second I looked away to catch my other daughter. Thankfully it was only for a second and I was able to snatch her up, but it scared the hell out of both of us! I will not be going back unless the keiki pool is open, because the no floaties rule is bull s*. I will change my rating when the no floaties rule changes. My bigger kids loved it, and the facility is clean and well cared for. For adults or strong swimming kids, it's a great place. My first experience there, however, was...

The rules are really strict. I think we should be able to swim at own risk and sign a waiver. Im a single mom and can never have freedom swimmimg because im not allowed to put my child in a (certified life jacket). I think kids who cant swim on their own should be allowed to use life jackets. I think kids should be allowed to use toys and floatation devices. If lawsuit are what is preventing children to be able to have alot more fun and freedom at the pool. Then people should have the option to sign waivers and swim at their own risk.in their own section of the pool. I feel like im fully able to watch and keep my own child safe from harm. Im cpr certified. I think children should at least be allowed to use certified life jackets. So single parents can have a little security. And a little freedom. It would keep children SAFER as well! There were a few times that my baby ran away from me at the keiki pool and almost jumped into the big pool!!! I caught her just in time! Water wings. And life saving floatation devices must be allowed! And its rediculous that they aren't allowed! Let the kids jump in the pool! At least at the deep end. Loosen up...