Town of Tonawanda Aquatic and Fitness Center — Local services in Town of Tonawanda

To whom it may concern,

My son entered the deep end, and drowned in 12ft of water and was able to come back up. I'n the process of helping himself out he bumped his head OR lifeguard saving him and bumping his head.

Lifeguard didn't know , why my son was complaining of his head. She had no story for me. She had nothing to say besides to talk to other lifeguards offering ice packs. I asked numerous of times and was forced to ask me son. What happened? To later find out, "No mommy I didn't just bump my head, I drowned".

My son is ok, he left with a bump on his head and cheek bone. Paramedics & police came, checked him out. Everything seemed to be ok, minus brushing. I told them I believe my son panicked when he jumped in , he can't swim and tried to get back to safety. The lifeguard didn't even speak up to say she saved him, later he told me she did. I didn't see the lifeguard again once emergency help arrived. Until everything was over and they left. She was in the corner talking to other lifeguards.

I did thank Staff for what I witnessed , showing concern with my son.

Moving forward so this doesn't happen to anyone else . I am suggesting that each child is tested or parental consent is given before even entering the pool site. Today my son was only asked his age . My child is 7 in 2nd grade. A bracelet was given to my 10 year old that can swim very well and my son that is 7 in second grade and no swimming skill. After speaking to the supervisor he did say that the lifeguards ask age and grade. Age and grade aren't the best questions, the question should be can you swim and a safety test should be given. Maybe for non swimmers a life vest can be offered to still enjoy the blow up activity in 12 ft of water. Thank God my child was ok. I have to take accountability as well because I assumed a safety test would be performed . At check in the lady said that the lifeguards will handle everything with the deep end . I trusted that, and should have not. I just knew they would turn him around considering he can't swim. Yet I hear a loud horn and yelling to get out the pool and my son is climbing out the pool into a guards space. This incident is a parents worst nightmare. All staff were kind and helpful. I'm only reaching out so that moving forward this doesn't happen again. Things could have been worse. Definitely a SAFETY CONCERN at the aquatic center for non...

Here's the thing....I go here 4-5 days a week for the last few months for their pool and the pool itself is great! Love it! However....the front desk staff always leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. If you ask them for ANY help or to do things that are within their job description, you will likely be met with a blank stare. And God help you if you try to call there to ask a question! That phone will ring so long you might as well get in your car and drive down there.

I've asked the front desk staff for three things that are pretty reasonable:

1.) I asked them to change my payment card on file cause the one I had on file was hacked. The older woman at the front desk said it wasn't possible and only after I pressed numerous times that it SHOULD be possible under the circumstances, she took my name and had her office manager call me to do it. 2.) I asked for a new ID card cause I transferred wallets and must've let it in the old one when I threw it away. Again, they couldn't do it. I had to ask three separate times from different people before someone could suddenly do it. 3.) I'd left my swim trunks there one day while in a hurry and when I called to see if there were there, the phone rang and rang and rang some more. No answer. Next day I went in and asked if they were there, the person at the desk was gonna go look before another employee chirped "let the pool staff deal with it!" So she tried to call back to the pool supervisor office and they didn't answer....so instead of, oh, I don't know GOING TO PHYSICALLY CHECK! It became my problem and she kept saying "but they didn't answer the phone!"

I work in reception and at the front desk of a hospital and maybe it's just me or how our company is run, but if a customer needs help, you go out of your way to help them!

Great pool! Again, can't stress that enough! But be sure you NEVER need the front desk for...

I was very pleased with the center last summer. My kid's and I went about 4x a week. We only went once over the winter as it was very cold inside and my kid's couldn't enjoy thier swim. We went to go rinse off in the large family bathroom and we were sad to see the shower was not working. As a single mom of two, it's easiest to let the kids rinse off together under a constant stream of water as they can not continuously press the button to keep the water on in the large locker room. We went back today for the first time since winter and the family locker room shower STILL wasn't working. They have new lifeguards with new "rules" and each one is different. For instance the large sturdy pool noodles were the only ones my kids used last summer because they actually WORK at keeping my kids afloat. We were NOT ONCE ever told that we could not use them. Today a new lifeguard told my kids they had to use the flimsy almost deteriorated pool noodles because the large sturdy ones were for the classes!! Upgrade your equipment, fix the shower, and keep ALL the lifeguards on...