LARPD Makes Waves With A Successful 2023 Aquatics Program

LIVERMORE, CA – 9/20/23 – The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) is excited to share highlights of its Aquatics Program during the 2023 summer season. This year marked notable accomplishments in swim lessons, staff expansion, outreach, and program growth.

LARPD Taught 1,383 Swim Lessons this Summer, Spanning Ages Six Months to 12 Years Old

During the summer, LARPD conducted 1,383 swim lessons, including Parent-Tot Classes, Preschool Swim Lessons, Levels 1-3 Skill Classes, and Swim Conditioning Classes catering to the diverse needs of our community. Lessons promoted water safety and built confidence in swimming for the students.

Aquatics Coordinator Alyssa Smith shared, "The feedback from the parents has been really good, especially with swim lessons. They've said the instructors are great; their kids are having a blast; same with water polo camp and the Jr. Guards. The kids seem to be having a really good time."

The LARPD aquatics team is exploring options to address a challenge this summer – the availability of swim lessons to meet the surging demand. Popular sessions and time slots were quickly filled upon registration opening, posing difficulties for families. The staff is working to implement improvements for the upcoming year.

LARPD Partnered with the LARPD Foundation and Rotary Foundation to provide 121 Swim Lessons via Scholarships

LARPD partnered with the LARPD Foundation and the Livermore Rotary Foundation to offer swim lesson scholarships to 121 students this summer. These scholarships allowed eligible families to enroll in swim lessons for a reduced fee of $10 per two-week session, promoting inclusivity and water safety education.

Staff Growth: 75 Seasonal Employees, Including 17 New Swim Instructors

LARPD expanded its staff during the summer season compared to previous years. This growth was made possible through collaborations with local high schools, local swim teams, and by offering lifeguard training courses throughout the year.

Aquatics Supervisor Patrick Lucky noted, "Our staff has done an amazing job. We went from 44 staff last year to about 75 this year. We brought on 17 new swim instructors we trained from the ground up. It has been a blast working with all of them and watching our staff enhance our programs."

In addition to routine training sessions to enhance the safety of LARPD's aquatics facilities, the staff participated in the lifeguard games, securing a 4th-place finish out of 20 agencies with notable achievements in active victim rescues and spinal rescue events.

“It was great to have a presence there to showcase our District skills with our lifeguard staff,” Lucky added.

Expansion in Recreation Swim Program

Besides swim lessons, LARPD continued its popular recreation swim programs, including weekday morning 'Tot-Times' and Friday evening 'Hot Night' sessions, along with daily afternoon recreation swim at the Robert Livermore Aquatics Center and May Nissen Swim Center, offering opportunities to various age groups, schedules, and preferences.

Lucky commented, "The Hot Nights have been going great. Last year, we were averaging around 35 people per week; this year, we're at around 100. A couple of days over 105 degrees really helped with that. People definitely came here on Friday nights to cool off." 

The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District remains committed to offering valuable aquatics experiences.