Pools make splash; golf on upswing

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July 9, 2009

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Thu Jul 09, 2009, 10:07 PM CDT

By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Joplin yielded a bumper crop of swimmers and golfers so far this summer that the parks director says may have been sprouted by economic conditions, warm temperatures and an investment in recreational amenities.

At a time when many other cities across the nation are grappling with budgetary problems that have caused them to close public pools, Joplin is seeing more business than ever before.

Doug Joyce, parks and recreation director, said admission to Joplin’s pool and aquatic parks is up 31 percent over the same time last year; golf revenue jumped about 25 percent.

“I think we might be seeing a lot of people staying home. They’re not traveling as much as they used to,” Joyce said in explaining the increase in business at the pools.

“I think we got more publicity this year and I think we’re seeing more day cares coming to us. Groups from the (Joplin Family) Y and the Girls’ and Boys’ Club are coming more often. And it’s a good value at $2.50 for the aquatic parks at Cunningham and Ewert or 75 cents for the pool at Schifferdecker.”

The City Council also recently agreed to extend the hours the pools are open.

“We’re going to start trying to serve the working public, people who may not get off work until 4 or 5 p.m.,” by keeping Ewert open until 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and Cunningham open until 8 p.m. Saturdays, Joyce said.

Joplin is faring better than cities such as Philadelphia, which planned to close all but 10 city pools this year until businesses and corporations gave the city enough to operate 45 of its 73 pools.

In Alexandria, Ind., children sold cookies and raided their piggy banks while parents and businesses wrote checks to the city to operate city pools this season. Towns such as Johnsville, S.C., and Cranston, R.I., also relied on community help for pool operations.

Meanwhile, rounds of play at the municipal golf course were up for the month of May, from 2,474 last year to 3,184 this year. Revenue created by the course and its various services, including cart rental, is at $210,110, up from $155,140 through May 2008.

“I think we can attribute that to the money the City Council has put into the course, new carts, fixing up cart paths and the new tees,” Joyce said. “I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about them (new tee boxes).”

The council approved about $500,000 in spending to improve the course’s turf, level tee boxes, provide more thorough watering and drainage, fix cart paths and replace the fleet of 60 carts.

“And we’ve had pretty good weather, too,” for outdoor activities, Joyce said. “We can’t take all the credit. The weather, when it’s not rainy and cold, contributes. The golfers get out there.”

Recreation programs such as tennis and swim lessons also have been full.

“We’re just about maxed out in everything we do,” Joyce said. “We have more tennis play too with the new Joplin Athletic Complex.”

Joplin is not the only city to see a rise in recreation, either.

Pittsburg, Kan.

Tammy Edge, at the Pittsburg, Kan., Parks and Recreation Department, said there have been at least 600 more visits to the Pittsburg Aquatic Park this year.

Last year, there were 12,548 visits through the end of June and this year there has been 13,106.

“That is not counting the free passes we give out and rain days. We have had a couple of days we had to close early because of the rain.”

She said she’s not sure why there are more visits to the pool this year.

“Maybe people are staying closer to home,” she said.

Neosho

Neosho Recreation director Todd Baines does not have figures on how admissions compare at the Neosho pool, but he believes they are up this year because more money has come in so far.

“I know for the month of June our revenues were up 6 percent over last June. We didn’t keep track of attendance last year,” Baines said.

Asked what he thinks is contributing to the increase, Baines said: “We had a really hot June. And also, I would not be surprised if people are staying close to home,” because of the economy and costs, he said.

The Neosho Golf Course is getting its share of the business, too, said the club’s pro, Justin Beck.

“Year over year we’re up. This year we’re up 11 percent in revenue, so attendance is definitely up,” he said. “I think more people are staying close to home and I personally don’t think the economy is as bad in this area as the national economy.”

Neosho officials also did not increase greens fees this year.

“Loma Linda South is closed and we have some people who play here who used to play there,” he added.

Lamar

Swimmers are treading water at the Lamar Aquatic Park, where Parks and Recreation Director Marsha Doyle said attendance is up about 1 percent.

“All of our indicators are even this year,” compared to 2008, she said. “From appearances, it looks like there’s not as many people in the water but when you check the numbers, they’re about the same.”

Carthage

Pool attendance is down from last year, said Lorie Neubert, Carthage Parks Department secretary.

“A while back when we had such hot weather, you would have thought we would have an increase, but we actually had a decrease. That pool deck is so hot on bare feet when the temperature is so high,” she said. “The weather has been a factor at our pool.”

The story is not the same, though, at the Carthage Municipal Golf Course, though.

“The golf course is doing very well. Our revenue and golfing attendance has been up the last month,” Neubert said. “Briarbrook being closed has probably increased our attendance.”

Miami, Okla.

Mike Johnson, Miami Parks and Recreation director, said Miami’s giant pool and its amenities are packing in the crowds.

“We’ve had good numbers at our pool,” he said, adding that he does not have attendance figures available. “I just know being out there every day that our numbers are up.”

He said public pools such as his remain a good value in tight times.

“The admission price this year for ages 1 to 13 is $1.50 and for 14 and above is $2. We have a pool that is 100 by 200 feet and we have a 40-foot speed slide, a 35-foot round slide and then have a smaller slide for smaller kids. We also have a wading pool and playground. We have a lot to offer for $1.50,” Johnson said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Historic pool

Joplin’s first outdoor pool was built in Schifferdecker Park in 1909. It was similar to today’s zero-entry pools in that it had “gently sloping sides.” It deteriorated in the 1920s and was replaced in 1932.

Source: Joplin Public Library digitized postcard collection