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Swimming pool closures key to drop in swimming standards
Swimming pool at Harrisburg's Hall Manor apartments closed indefinitely
Woman found dead in backyard swimming pool in Arlington
Indoor pools gaining popularity
Mixing dogs and pools
Cats and pools

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Swimming pool closures key to drop in swimming standards

2012-06-27 West Chester County Pool Service news

The closure of more than three hundred public swimming pools in the last 18 months has been blamed as one of a number of reasons why more than one in three primary school leavers do not have the basic swimming skills to save their lives, a report has found. It estimated more than 200,000 11-year-olds have not mastered basic survival techniques, such as floating, despite swimming being compulsory for children aged seven to 11. Pupils leaving primary school should be able to swim unaided for 25 metres. However, on average 36.5% of children in 2,577 English primary schools did not achieve the required level by the end of last year, according to the report by Kellogg's and the Amateur Swimming Association. And a separate Kellogg's survey found that 46% of parents with children aged six to 11 admitted their child couldn't swim. The report blamed rising costs, overloaded school timetables and in particular pool closures all over the UK which have taken the opportunity to swim away from hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren. "It is clear there has been a trend of too many pool closing either through financial restrictions or just old age. It is important to save more of these pools which need refurbishment rather than see them disappear for ever. Too many communities have lost their pools they badly need." The Amateur Swimming Association and Kellogg's has called on the Government to prioritise the sport "so every child has the opportunity to learn to swim irrespective of socio-economic and ethnic background". They have launched a six-point school swimming manifesto which includes urging head teachers not to close existing pools; Ofsted monitoring swimming as part of inspections; the improvement of water safety training for primary teachers and support for secondary school pupils who cannot swim. During Key Stage Two (ages seven to 11), swimming and water safety is a compulsory part of the national curriculum. By the age of 11, pupils should be able to "pace themselves in floating and swimming challenges related to speed, distance and personal survival" as well as swim unaided for a distance "of at least 25 metres". However, data obtained by Kelloggs under the Freedom of Information Act discovered that only 35 out of 85 councils in England which responded to the survey actually held swimming records. David Walker, RoSPA's Leisure Safety Manager, said: "We are concerned to see that so many children are struggling to swim at an acceptable standard." Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among children in England. Department for Education spokesman said: "Swimming is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum, and all primary schools have a duty to provide swimming lessons for their pupils. We would expect that schools would take the needs of their children into account in making all decisions.

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Swimming pool at Harrisburg's Hall Manor apartments closed indefinitely

2012-06-28 West Chester County Pool Service news

The swimming pool at the Hall Manor apartments in Harrisburg, refuge for up to 100 children on summer days, will be closed indefinitely while officials determine how to fix a costly leak.
The Rev. Brenda Alton, director of the Parks, Education and Enrichment Department, told City Council on Tuesday night that the city and Boys and Girls Clubs will help transport swimmers from Hall Manor to the
pool at Jackson Lick apartments on Sixth Street. The Hall Manor pool's excessive water costs of $40,000 last year hinted at a leak somewhere, Alton said. Volunteer consultants determined that the pool's foundation is inadequate and must be rebuilt. Transforming the space into a "splash pool" with slides and other features is a possibility, but donors would have to finance any
upgrades, because the city will halt all parks and recreation funding after this year, she said. The Jackson-Lick pool will be open Tuesdays through Sundays, beginning Saturday. Pool passes can be obtained at the Parks, Education and Enrichment Department in City Hall, or by registering at www.harrisburgrec.com. Registrants will get information on transportation from Hall Manor to Jackson Lick, Alton said.

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Woman found dead in backyard swimming pool in Arlington

2012-06-26 West Chester County Pool Service news

A woman was found dead Thursday morning in a backyard swimming pool in north Arlington, a fire official said. The victim believed to be in her 70s was discovered shortly after 9 a.m. at a home in the 500 block of Eldoro Drive. Authorities had not released her name. A landscape worker found the woman's body in the pool, Arlington fire Lt. Kevin Seeton said. Neighbors told authorities that they saw the woman on Wednesday, but no one was sure how long she may have been in the water. A ruling on her death is pending an autopsy by the Tarrant County medical examiner's office. today

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Indoor pools gaining popularity

2012-07-21 West Chester County Pool Service news

Due to the increase in inclement weather more and more people are opting for indoor pools. When it comes to skin cancer there is nothing worst than sun rays. An indoor pool not only will save your skin but also will extend the swimming season.

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Mixing dogs and pools

2012-09-12 West Chester County Pool Service news

It seems that more and more pool owners are using their pools to walk their dogs.

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Cats and pools

2012-09-12 West Chester County Pool Service news

More and more pool owners are reporting that cats are using pools to take baths.

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