Facility Update: June 18
Hello Friends of the Pool!
It’s been a busy week here at the Aquatic Center with many summer programs now in full swing. Thank you for your patience as we have worked through a few scheduling kinks. If you’re planning a trip to the pool here’s what you need to know:
Lap Swim
As expected, we are seeing that our busiest pool times are happening during the mid-morning hours, and lap swimmers will be asked to share lanes during those busy times. Lap swim lanes will move from the 50-meter Pool to the Instructional Pool (6 Lanes) at 3 p.m. on most Tuesdays and Thursdays, and some Fridays. Typically, 3 p.m. is not a busy time for lap swim and the space in the Instructional Pool has had plenty of room.
Our lifeguards may ask you to share a lane, or to move from one pool to another, as needed. You may be asked to move from one to pool another 15-20 minutes before or after the lap swim moves from one pool to another. Please follow the instructions of the lifeguards.
Membership Credits Expire 6/30/2021
If you received a membership credit during our facility shut down due to COVID-19, that credit is available until 6/30/2021. After that time, the credit will expire and no longer be available for use.
If you have any questions about our HCAC hours and programs, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: May 27, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
Summer is quickly approaching and there will be a lot going on at the pool in the coming weeks, here’s what you need to know:
Monday, May 31 – HCAC Closed
HCAC will be closed on Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day – We thank those who served and sacrificed to protect our county and our freedom, and we hope that you have a safe Memorial Weekend!
Tuesday, June 1 – Capacity Increases, Locker & Towel Service Resumes
- The State of Michigan will allow HCAC to move to 50% capacity levels beginning on Tuesday, June 1.
- Beginning on Tuesday, June 1, HCAC will resume towel service and allow use of facility lockers for daily users.
Friday June 4 & Saturday, June 5 – Limited Lap Swim
HCAC will host the Big Red Challenge Meet on June 4 and 5. Lap swim will be limited during the following times:
- Friday, June 4
Regular Lap Swim – 5:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Limited Lap Swim – 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – 6 Lanes, Instructional Pool
Limited Lap Swim – 4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – 2 Lanes, Instructional Pool - Saturday, June 5
Limited Lap Swim – 8:00 a.m.– 9:00 a.m. – 6 Lanes, Instructional Pool
Limited Lap Swim – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – 2 Lanes, Instructional Pool
Monday, June 7 – Preschool Splash Time Returns
Preschool Splash Time will be available for children ages 6 and younger with an adult caregiver in the shallow pool of the Splash Zone area beginning on Monday, June 7. Caregivers are asked to be in the water with your little ones. Hours of availability will be 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Regular rates apply.
Friday, June 11 – Family Splash Time Returns
We’re excited to welcome you and your family back into the Splash Zone! Family Splash times will feature our water slide, kiddie pool, vortex, diving boards, as well as a rotating schedule for our zip line, alpine challenge, and aqua challenge features. Regular rates apply. Beginning Friday, June 11, Family Splash Hours throughout the summer will be as follows:
- Monday through Saturday, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Monday, June 14 – Expect a busy pool this summer!
Beginning on Monday, June 14, our pools will be very busy during weekday morning lap swim. Some of you may remember from previous summers, that our HCAC MLA swim team will share the 50-meter pool with lap swim each weekday morning. Between 7 a.m. – 12 p.m. we will offer 11 lanes for community lap swim and water walking. We expect it to be busiest during the mid-morning hours, and lap swimmers will be asked to share lanes. If you prefer to come during a lap swim time that is less busy, we encourage you to come in later in the day.
Membership Credits Expire 6/30/2021
If you received a membership credit during our facility shut down due to COVID-19, that credit is available until 6/30/2021. After that time, the credit will expire and no longer be available for use.
State of Michigan Mask Guidance:
In the State of Michigan masks are no longer required for fully vaccinated individuals. Masks are still required for those who are not fully vaccinated. HCAC will continue to follow this guidance until we receive additional information from our State and local health departments.
There’s a lot of information included here! Our team is working to update our website quickly. If you have any questions about our HCAC hours and programs, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: April 23, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
Here’s a quick update on what’s happening at the pool in the coming week:
- Splash & Dash Triathlon Event, Sat. April 24:
HCAC will hold our first annual Mighty Mitten Splash and Dash event on Saturday, April 24. The number of available lap swim lanes will be limited from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.
- Facility Closure Next Week:
For those who missed the announcement last week – we have a scheduled power outage and planned facility closure for Wednesday, April 28 through Saturday, May 1. Regular hours and programming will resume on Monday, May 3. We apologize for the disruption, and thank you for your patience as we work with our construction team to provide greatly improved programs and facilities for the next generation of our users!
- HCAC Parking:
When you visit the Aquatic Center, please park in our HCAC parking lot rather than parking on Washington Avenue. This will allow for better visibility as you are coming and going from the lot, as well as leave the streets open for our HCAC neighborhood families.
If you have any questions about our HCAC hours and programs, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: April 14, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
We’re making great progress on the construction and renovation project! We have been fortunate to keep the project on time and within budget, while also balancing the challenges of the last year. We recently learned that upgrades to our electrical systems will require a 4-day shutdown of the facility to the public. We have scheduled this planned closure for Wednesday, April 28 through Saturday, May 1. Regular hours and programming will resume on Monday, May 3.
We apologize for the disruption! Thank you for your patience as we work with our construction team to provide greatly improved programs and facilities for the next generation of our HCAC users!
If you have any questions about our HCAC hours and programs, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: April 9, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
Here’s a quick update on what’s happening at the pool in the coming weeks:
- Swim Teams Return Next Week:
We’re excited to welcome our Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics (MLA) team back during the week of April 12. We anticipate their first day of practice will be Wednesday, April 14. Monday through Friday evenings, we will offer at least 5 lanes (some days more) for public lap swimmers from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Splash & Dash Youth and Adult Triathlon Event, Sat. April 24:
HCAC will hold our first annual Mighty Mitten Splash and Dash event on Saturday, April 24. This event will feature a sprint-distance swim, then run for several age groups: 7-10 years, 11-15 years, and 16+. Distances vary by age group. Registration is available now – find out more and sign up HERE! Questions? Email rachel@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
- Summer 2021 Swimming Lessons Registration:
Summer is right around the corner, and registration for our summer swimming lessons program has begun! We anticipate that the most popular class times will fill up fast – sign up today to reserve your spot!
- Mask Requirement:
HCAC continues to require masks at all times in all dry land areas, including the fitness room and locker rooms. Masks must be worn properly – over both mouth and nose. Those refusing to follow this mask requirement will be asked to leave the facility. No exceptions.
- Splash Zone Closed:
Our Splash Zone indoor water park remains closed due to the current MDHHS restrictions, which do not allow for indoor water parks or indoor recreational swimming. As soon as we are allowed to offer family splash time options, we will send out a notification.
If you have any questions about our HCAC hours and programs, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: March 4, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
This week we learned that our HCAC pool capacity limits will be increased to 30%. This is exciting news and we’re encouraged that we are heading in the right direction to be able to serve more of the community. We’re also excited to announce that next week we will be starting up additional daytime swimming lessons. Here are a few things you should know if you plan to visit the pool next week:
• School Swimming Lessons Begin Monday, March 8:
HCAC will be starting up our school lessons program on Monday, March 8. We’re so excited to get back to providing these lifesaving swimming lessons to our local school children! Due to construction, the children will be using our 50-meter locker room areas. There will be designated areas within the women’s and men’s locker rooms where they will be changing. These areas will be separated from the rest of the public locker room space. The lessons will be held in the Instructional Pool and will not cause any disruption to our lap swim or water fitness activities, but the locker areas will be busier with the school children arriving about every 45 minutes between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Monday – Friday.
• Construction:
Our construction project continues to move ahead on schedule. Next week there will be some painting going on that may cause an odor within the facility. We are working closely with the construction team to minimize any potential odors that may affect your visit.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: February 1, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
This week we will be hosting swim meets for several of our community partners. Here are some things that you should know about before you head to the pool:
- Lap Swim Lane Availability:
Tuesday, Feb. 2 – 5:30-7 p.m. – 2 Lanes in the Instructional Pool, and 7-8:30 p.m. – 6 Lanes in the Instructional Pool (regular morning hours)
Friday, Feb. 5 – 5:30-8:30 p.m. – 6 Lanes in the Instructional Pool (regular morning hours)
Saturday, Feb. 6 – Lap Lanes will be in the 50-meter pool from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., and in the Instructional Pool only from 12-1 p.m.
- Fitness Classes:
Our February sessions of our HCAC fitness begin this week! Aqua Yoga and Framework with Amy are back. Registration for the February fitness class sessions is available HERE! If you would like to find out more about our HCAC Fitness Programs, please contact rachel@hollandaquaticcenter.org for more information.
- Construction Update:
As our construction project continues this week you may notice additional noise and odor from the steel welding process and the construction work that is going on. Our team is working closely with the construction team to manage this issue and draw orders away from our existing building.
COVID-19 Safety:
Masks continue to be required in all dry land areas of the Aquatic Center, and must be worn up until you are ready to enter the pool. HCAC continues to stay in close contact with the Ottawa County Health Department to ensure compliance with all COVID-19 safety measures and keep you safe when you visit the pool.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: January 25, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
As we add in activities and additional pool users, your safety is our top priority! We are encouraged that we have been able to add fitness programming on a regular basis while keeping everyone safe here at the pool. This week we will be hosting swim meets for several of our community partners. Here are some things that you should know about before you head to the pool:
- Lap Swim Schedule Changes:
Tuesday, Jan. 26 – 5:30-7 p.m. Lap Swim – 3 Lanes in the Instructional Pool, and 7-8:30 p.m. – 6 Lanes in the Instructional Pool
Friday, Jan. 29 – No lap lanes from 5:30-8:30 p.m. (regular morning hours)
Saturday, Jan. 30 – Lap Lanes will be in the 50-meter pool from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., and in the Instructional Pool only from 12-1 p.m.
- Construction Update:
We’re happy to be able to serve you at the same time that that there is a large construction effort on the east side of our building! Next week, the construction team will be painting inside of what will be our future community pool area. We will be working with them to manage any unpleasant paint orders, including most of the work happening during late night hours. - Fitness Classes:
Our fitness classes are back up and running here at HCAC! We’re also adding Aqua Yoga and Framework with Amy in February. Registration for the February fitness class sessions is available HERE! If you would like to find out more about our HCAC Fitness Programs, please contact rachel@hollandaquaticcenter.org for more information.
- Recreational Swim and Spa:
Our Splash Zone (family splash area) and Spa remain closed. Opening these areas of the facility will be dependent on legal state regulations, and local health department advice. General schedule information for lap swim, fitness, and the therapy pool is available HERE!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: January 15, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
I’m excited to let you know that with the most recent update from the MI Dept. of Health and Human Services, we will able to open additional activities and programs here at the Aquatic Center. As of Monday, Jan. 18 we will be making the following changes to our programming:
- Lap Swim Hours:
Monday – Friday, 5:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Note: We will be changing from allowing only one person per lane, to requiring lanes be shared with up to two people per lane. Swimmers sharing lanes will rest on opposite sides of the pool. Lap swimmers will be limited to 45-minutes of swimming if others are waiting. The number of lanes available for lap swim will be very limited from 5:30-7 p.m. If you are looking for a time that is less busy to lap swim, we recommend 1-3 p.m. or 7:30-8:30 p.m.
- Water Walking Hours:
Monday – Friday, 5:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Fitness Room Hours:
Monday – Friday, 5:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Note: Masks are required at all times in the Fitness Room.
- Therapy Pool Hours – Open Therapy Only
Mon/Weds/Fri, 8:00-9:00 a.m.
Note: We are not currently offering recreational swimming or fun time for children in this pool.
- Fitness Classes – Restarting
Our HCAC fitness class programs will restart on Monday, Jan. 18. If you have previously participated in these programs you will receive a message with specific information from the program manager. If you would like to find out more about our HCAC Fitness Programs, please contact rachel@hollandaquaticcenter.org for more information.
- Locker Room Use & Masks – Masks are required in all dryland areas, including the locker rooms. Please wear your mask up until you are ready to enter the pool, and then put it right back on as soon as you exit the pool.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: January 4, 2021
Hello Friends of the Pool!
Happy New Year! We’re excited to add in our life-saving swimming lesson program, as well as additional public Open Therapy hours this week. Some of the other services and programs here at the Aquatic Center continue to be on pause during the current epidemic order, which remains in place through January 15. We are optimistic that we will be able to open additional programs and services slowly and safely, as soon as late January. Here’s what you need to know for this week:
- Beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 6, we will offer Open Therapy in the Therapy Pool for fitness and wellness opportunities from 8-9 a.m. and 10-11:30 a.m., on Mon/Wed/Fri. At this time, we are able to offer Therapy only in this pool. Regular rates apply.
- Beginning this week, we are also able to restart our life-saving swimming lesson classes. To find out the schedule of available classes and register for classes, see our online registration page.
- Group fitness classes and our MLA Swim and Dive team practices remain on hold.
- Please visit the schedule page of our website for open lap swim and fitness room hours.
- If you have any questions about returning to the pool or about a specific program or service, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Facility Update: December 16, 2020
Hello Friends of the Pool!
At the time of this update the Aquatic Center is awaiting another decision from the Michigan DHHS to determine if we will be allowed to resume group activities beginning on Monday, Dec. 21. Without that information, it’s challenging for us to let you know what to expect at our pool next week. We anticipate that lap swim and the fitness room will continue to be available, but we will let you know soon as there is more information to share.
Here’s what we know today:
- HCAC will be open for a “bonus” hour of lap swim and fitness, 8am – 1pm, this Saturday, Dec. 19.
- HCAC will be open with our current schedule for next week, Mon – Wed, Dec. 21-23.
- HCAC will be closed on Dec. 24 & 25.
- HCAC will be open 8 am – 1 pm, on Saturday, Dec. 26
- HCAC will be open with our current schedule for the following week, Mon – Wed, Dec. 28-30.
- HCAC will be closed on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
- HCAC will be open 8 am – 1 pm, on Saturday, Jan. 2.
I can also share that our construction project continues to move forward, and it’s exciting to see the changes that are happening daily! For information about the construction project, visit our website: https://www.hollandaquaticcenter.org/construction-updates/
In addition to the $26.3 million provided to HCAC by the 2019 Bond, our HCAC Foundation supporters are raising funds to enhance the project. The enhancements include a walking/jogging track, expanded lobby with covered entry, and group fitness space. To learn more visit the campaign website here: https://campaign.hollandaquaticcenter.org/
November 18, 2020 – Lap Swim Update
Hello Friends of the Pool!
Due to recent COVID-19 precautions taken by our local schools, most of the pools in West Michigan have closed for a few weeks. This has caused a significant increase in the demand for lap swim lanes. Out of an abundance of caution during this local increase in COVID-19 cases, HCAC will limit lane use to one person per lane during lap swim. Both of these factors have caused our lap swim lanes to become full at times, and resulted in a wait time for lap swim.
In response, we are taking the following steps to manage our lap swim times:
- All lap swimmers will be asked to limit their workout to 45 minutes. HCAC staff may ask you to exit the water after 45 minutes, if others are waiting.
- We will be opening 6 additional lap lanes in our Instructional Pool during the busiest times.
- HCAC members will receive a wristband at the front desk allowing for use of “member only” designated lap lanes.
- All lanes that are not designated as “member only” will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for those that choose to drop in.
- If you arrive during a busy time, please understand that you may have to wait (up to 45 minutes) for a lane.
It’s important to note that due the current epidemic order, HCAC cannot allow or provide any group instruction or fitness classes, or any organized swim/dive practices. All pool decks will be supervised with safety staff and lifeguards, and all activities must be done with individual independent workouts. The goal is to keep everyone safe and keep the Aquatic Center open to serve the community!
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
November 16, 2020
Hello Friends of the Pool!
Many of our guests have had questions about the impact of the “Pause to Save Lives” epidemic order on program offerings at the Aquatic Center.
Keeping you and our staff members safe is our highest priority, and we’ll keep following recommendations from our local health authorities and the CDC to ensure that the Aquatic Center remains safe for the community.
Beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and at least through Tuesday, Dec. 8, HCAC will implement the following changes to our programs and operations:
- We will no longer have scheduled instructor-led classes or team practices.
- Therapy Pool – Our Therapy Pool will be closed.
- Instructional Classes – Classes will be rescheduled to January 2021.
- Fitness Classes – Your instructor will send out a weekly email with a self-directed workout for you to do on your own. You may utilize fitness room, lap swim and water walking hours for these activities.
- Swim and Dive Practice – Our MLA coaches will email athletes with direction for individual workouts to be done independently of the team. Windows of “open training” pool time will be available for the independent workouts and coaches will notify athletes of those times.
- Lap Swim – We will implement a one-person per lane requirement for lap swim space. The only exception will be for those residing in the same household. Lap swimmers will be limited to 45 minutes for a workout if others are waiting. Our lap swim and fitness room hours are not changing at this time.
We are requiring masks in all dry land areas, including the locker rooms, and until you enter the pool. We will continue to perform a midday deep clean of the facility between 1-3 p.m.
If you have any questions about returning to the pool or about your specific program, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
October 29, 2020 – We’re adding hours!
Hello Friends of the Pool!
I’m excited to let you know that next week we will be adding additional lap swim and fitness opportunities! Beginning on Monday, November 2, we will remain open until 1:00 p.m. for lap swim, water walking, and the fitness room each weekday. This will allow those of you who would like to swim at lunch time to return to the pool and fitness room. We will also add in 30 minutes of lap swim each evening beginning the evening session at 5:30 p.m. (instead of 6 p.m.) and going until 8:00 p.m. The full schedule will be as follows:
Monday – Friday
Lap Swim, Water Walking, & Fitness Room – 6 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Fitness Room – 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Lap Swim – 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Open Therapy – 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Saturday
Lap Swim, Water Walking & Fitness Room – 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Please note: Most Tuesday evenings we will be hosting swim meets for the local school teams, and some Friday evenings we will be hosting swim meets for Hope College. Although we will reserve a few lanes for lap swim, those evenings will be more limited.
I’m so encouraged that we have been able to open our facility, while keeping our team and customers safe. As you return to the pool, please remember that we are requiring masks in all dry land areas (including the locker rooms), and up until you are ready to enter the pool. Our plan is to continue to perform a midday deep clean of the facility between 1-3 p.m. The goal is to keep everyone safe and keep the Aquatic Center open to serve the community!
If you have any questions about returning to the pool, please feel free to reach out to me directly via email at amanda@hollandaquaticcenter.org.
Take care and I’ll see you at the pool!
Amanda Duimstra
General Manager
Sept 8, 2020 – More reopening details!
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
Tomorrow will be a big day for us here at HCAC! After being closed for six months, we have brought back key members of our team, and we will be ready to begin offering several activities for the community.
We have received lots of questions from you and will provide the information that we currently have about what will be available beginning tomorrow. We will have additional activities returning to HCAC in the next phases of our reopening in the coming weeks and months.
Beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 9 we know that we will offer lap swim, the fitness room, and water walking for the community. We will also continue to offer swimming lessons and we will reopen for our school partnerships and the MLA team.
Activities that will not be happening beginning tomorrow, but that we expect to return in the coming weeks include fitness classes, our spa, the Therapy Pool, and Master’s swimming.
Activities that will take a little longer to return will be larger group activities, including our preschool and family splash times.
Please note:
Masks are required in all dry land areas. This is current State law and we are unable to make exceptions at this time.
Social distancing is required whenever possible. Please keep 6 feet between you and other guest whenever you are able.
Locker use will be limited. Lockers will not be available for an individual day use at this time.
HCAC Locker rooms will be open for changing, restrooms and showers. If you have a designated rental locker, you will be able to use that locker. If you do not, we will ask you to bring your “pool bag” and personal items out to the pool deck with you after changing.
Please bring your own towel. Towel service is not available.
Capacity limits are in place. HCAC is limited to 25% capacity. Lap swim, water walking, and the fitness room will be limited to this maximum capacity. As facilities fill, we will ask you to wait.
Spectators are limited. At this time we have very limited space for spectators. We ask that you do not bring spectators with you to your visit.
We are very happy to begin serving the community again and we ask for your patience as we adjust and determine the best ways to safely serve you again.
Thank you,
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
Sept 4, 2020 – Facility Reopening
Reopening Safely
On September 9, Holland Community Aquatic Center will be reopening to members, schools and the public. While we’re extremely excited to share this news, please keep in mind that the pool has been closed for nearly six months, and it will take some time to restore our services fully. In alignment with direction from the State, there are a number of important conditions to our operation, and we ask for your cooperation and grace during this time.
Open Times
Beginning on the 9th and for the foreseeable future, we will be splitting the day into sessions.
Monday – Thursday
6:00a – 12:00p Open to Members & Public
12:00p – 3:00p Closed for Cleaning
3:00p – 6:00p Reserved for School & Team Use
6:00p – 8:00p Open to Members, the Public, & Lessons
Tuesday evenings will be the most limited due to swim meets.
Friday
6:00a – 12:00p Open to Members & Public
12:00p – 3:00p Closed for Cleaning
3:00p – 6:00p Reserved for School & Team Use
Saturday
8:00a – 12:00p Open to Members, the Public, Limited Teams, and Lessons
*Note: We will no longer be requiring appointments.
Memberships
If you have (or had) an active membership prior to the closure of HCAC, we will be honoring any time you have paid for but were unable to use because of the pandemic. For example, if you had three months left when we closed in March, those three months will re-commence beginning Sep 9.
Capacity
State regulations allow us to reopen the pool and gym areas to 25% capacity. For lap swim, we will be limiting access to 2 swimmers per lane with a 30-minute time limit (if others are waiting for a lane).
Safety
Holland Community Aquatic Center places the highest priority on the safety of our guests. As such, we will be following all state requirements and adding some of our own precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. How this affects our users:
- MASKS: Guests must wear a mask in all dryland spaces including the gym while working out. This is required by the State. When swimming, guests may remove their masks just before entering the water but need to wear it while on the deck and or waiting for a lane.
- CHANGING: Guests will be permitted to use the changing and locker rooms. However, to reduce shared surfaces, lockers will not be available at this time. Guests will be permitted to leave a bag in a safe place near a wall on the pool deck or gym.
- SOCIAL DISTANCING: Guests must respect six feet of distance between other guests outside their party. We have installed guides and spaced equipment to ensure this is possible.
- CLEANING: In addition to afterhours cleaning, and a three-hour closure from Noon-3p each day for deep cleaning, we have an hourly schedule of disinfecting shared surfaces including doors, counters, bathrooms and change rooms.
Construction Considerations
Many of our users have not been near HCAC since we began construction for our Everyday Renovation and Expansion project in the Spring. Many portions of our facility and parking lot are in a state of construction and demolition, which in some cases will affect how we move through the building. The new temporary entrance and parking lot entry are on the west side of the building off of Washington Ave. There is a parking map available HERE. Please be mindful of our construction workers when parking and entering the facility.
Thank You
We are grateful to our members and the community for your support and patience during our closure this summer. We overjoyed to see folks return to our space for swim lessons, competitions and fitness once again!
August 25, 2020 – Facility Update
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
For the last three weeks HCAC has been providing infant and child drowning prevention classes, with the capacity limited to 25%. After a summer with very quiet pools, it was encouraging for our team to begin to serve the community again! We will continue to offer lessons for the month of September, and we’re adding the evening and Saturday lessons that you have requested.
After consultation with the local governing authorities, we are happy to announce that we are able to offer swimming and technique lessons to all children under 18 years of age! We’ll be expanding our lesson offerings and setting up instruction times for all age brackets under 18 years of age. We will remain at the 25% capacity level designated by the Governor as well as many increased safety procedures. Our HCAC team worked diligently on procedures that will allow us to safely provide swimming lessons.
Please note:
All swimmers must arrive wearing swimsuits. HCAC Locker rooms are closed and will not be available for changing.
Please bring your own towel. Towel service is not available.
We understand that you may want to view your child’s swimming lesson – we strongly encourage you to keep your spectator group to as few people as possible.
Our registration process is now open and online registration is available here! We know that we’re providing a lot of information here, and we will be adding advanced level stroke skills classes within the next couple of days. If you would like more information regarding any specific programming or just have general questions, please feel free to reach out to our Instructional Program Manager, Jean Luc Miralda, at jeanluc@hollandaquaticcenter.org or (616) 393-7595 ext. 105.
We will continue to monitor any changes in direction from our government officials, and hope to be able to offer additional services to the community soon!
Thank you,
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
July 31, 2020 – Swimming Lessons Update
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
Great news! Late Wednesday night, Governor Whitmer released Executive Order 2020-160 allowing the Aquatic Center to open for swim lessons at 25% capacity. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to make the most out of the last few weeks of summer and provide children in our community with a safe swimming lesson environment. We hope that this is an indication that we will also be able to offer additional services to the community soon!
Our first few sessions of group lessons will include 5 days of instruction. Lessons will run weekdays only beginning on Wednesday, August 5. There are currently three sessions available for registration and session dates are as follows:
Session One: August 5, 6, 7, 10 & 11
Session Two: August 12, 13, 14, 17 & 18
Session Three: August 19, 20, 21, 24 & 25
Group Lessons will run in 30-minute time frames, with the following start times:
Parent/Child (6 – 36 months old) 9:15 AM – 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Parent/Child (3 – 5-year olds)
A parent/guardian is required to attend and be in the water with any child in the Parent/Child class.
Swim Basics (Stages 1 – 2) 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Stroke Skills (Stages 3 – 5) 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Private Lessons Based on Availability
Semi-Private Lessons Based on Availability
As mentioned in previous communications, our HCAC team has been working on hard on procedures that will allow us to safely provide swimming lessons. Here are a few of the steps that we are taking in order to keep all of our visitors safe:
Lesson Participants:
- Social Distancing: In public areas were providing social distancing markers and “traffic” flow paths that will help us follow CDC guidelines.
- In-water Social Distancing: We will be allowing only 1 child per lane, unless they are part of the same household and would like to group in a lane together.
- Sanitization: We will be increasing sanitization efforts and will require our instructors to sanitize all equipment before and after each lesson.
- Face Coverings: All HCAC guests (over the age of 2 years) will be required to wear masks in all dry land areas. For spectators, masks will be required at all times. For swim lesson participants, masks will be removed just before entering the water.
HCAC Team Members:
- Screening: Prior to entering our facility, all our instructors and HCAC team members will complete a daily to health screening.
- Face coverings: We will be requiring our HCAC team members and instructors to wear masks, or to wear face shields for those that will be in the water.
Other Important Notes:
- HCAC Locker rooms are closed and will not be available for changing – all swimmers must arrive wearing swimsuits.
- Towel service is not available – please bring your own towel.
- We understand that you may want to view your child’s swimming lesson – we strongly encourage you to keep your spectator group to as few people as possible.
Our registration process is now open and online registration is available here: https://hcac.recdesk.com/Community/Program?category=4
We know that we’re providing a lot of information here. If you would like more information regarding any specific programming or just have general questions, please feel free to reach out to our Instructional Program Manager, Jean Luc Miralda, at jeanluc@hollandaquaticcenter.org or (616) 393-7595 ext. 105.
July 31, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
The Executive Order released late on Wednesday will allow HCAC to begin providing infant and child drowning prevention classes, with capacity limited to 25%. This is exciting news, but there are very specific safety requirements for our team, and for the public that we will need to adhere to. We know that we will not yet be allowed to offer any activities in addition to the lessons, but we hope that this will be to first step toward offering more for our community and may lead to us being able to reopen other activities in the coming weeks.
We are working to quickly understand how soon we will be able begin taking registrations and accepting customers for swimming lessons, and we hope to have more information to share soon!
Stay tuned for more information!
Thank you!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
July 17, 2020
Our facility remains closed with no date set for reopening yet. We do not have any new direction from the Governor’s office to report. As soon as we have any new information, we’ll be reaching out to let you know what to expect. In the meantime, we invite you to view the FAQ page on our website for more information.
We are very excited to let you know that the construction project is moving forward! The crews have been working on the demolition of the instructional locker rooms and offices, as well as the maintenance office and instructional hallway. This week they have changed the view of our HCAC lobby significantly. The work crews will be completing demolition of portions of the building within the next few days and beginning the footings and groundwork for our community expansion! These are big changes that will prepare for work to begin on our new community space Next Gen addition. If you haven’t been by the Aquatic Center in awhile, you might want to drive by and check it out! (We’ll also be posting more on social media, so follow us on Facebook and Instagram to view updates and pictures.)
We’re pleased to report that the project is currently on time and within budget!
Thanks to each of you for your continued support!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
June 24, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
We’ve been hearing a lot this week about the potential for our facility and other pools to open soon, and we know you’re anxious to get back in the pool. In accordance with the Governor’s current Executive Order, indoor pools in lower Michigan are not yet allowed to open to the public. We want to assure you that we are closely monitoring the situation and will open when it is both legal and safe to do so.
This week we have received many questions about what it will look like when we open and we have addressed many of those questions on a new COVID-19 FAQ page on our website. Please take a look to learn more about our reopening: https://www.hollandaquaticcenter.org/faqs/covid-19-faqs/.
Thanks to each of you for your continued support!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
June 8, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
Our team is working to prepare to reopen to the public. The process for using the Aquatic Center will be very different, however all of these measures are in place for the safety of our team and our customers. Here’s what you can expect:
- All activities will require pre-registration online, or call-ahead appointments – no drop in visits.
- Activities will include the therapy pool, fitness room, and lap swim – all by 30-minute appointment, and limited to one appointment, per person per day.
- Swimming lessons, fitness classes and competitive programs – all by advanced registration. We expect registration and additional details to be available sometime next week.
- No public recreation “open swim” in phase one.
- Swimsuits or workout clothing must be worn to and from the Aquatic Center – lockers and changing facilities will not be provided to any group.
- Social distancing will be required in all areas – minimum 6 feet.
- Masks will be required in all dry land areas.
- Masks may not be worn in the water.
- Towel service will not be offered – all participants will need to bring their own towel.
- Hand sanitizer and hand washing will be available and frequent use will be strongly encouraged.
- Our team is observing elevated cleaning and sanitization protocols that meet or exceed public health guidelines. This includes sanitizing public touch points constantly throughout the day and implementing an additional full building cleaning regiment to our regular daily cleaning routines.
- Detailed information for each program will be provided to customers before appointments/registrations are processed.
- HCAC facility hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
HCAC will continue to monitor and follow the recommendations and requirements of the CDC and our public officials. We hope to be able to communicate additional information, an opening date and links to register for activities soon. We’re excited to get our pools back up and running safety!
Thank you!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
June 2, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members, Guests, and Supporters,
Thank you for your continued support of the aquatic center. Unfortunately the recent allowance of pools from the Governor’s executive order is not applicable to indoor pools and fitness facilities. We are not able to open on June 8th. However, we miss you all greatly and are making preparations for reopening as soon as we can safely do so.
In anticipation of opening, we wanted to share some guidelines so you will know what to expect when we are able to welcome you back to the pool. These guidelines are subject to change per government and CDC direction upon the state’s reopening.
HCAC’s anticipated Guidelines:
- HCAC facility initial hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
- All activities will require pre-registration online, or call-ahead appointments – no drop in visits.
- All activities will have set time frames, and be reduced to small groups.
- Swimsuits or workout clothing must be worn to and from the Aquatic Center – lockers and changing facilities will not be available.
- Social distancing will be required in all areas.
- Masks will be strongly encouraged in dry land areas.
- Masks may not be worn in the water.
- Towel service will not be available– please bring your own towel.
These guidelines will be in place for the first phase of our opening, and we will share additional details as they are determined. We will continue to monitor the requirements of our government officials, refer to national aquatics experts, and follow the guidelines provided to us by the CDC.
Our HCAC team is looking forward to a date when we are able to reopen and begin serving the community again!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
April 28, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Guests, Members, and Supporters,
These past weeks have been difficult for all of us and I hope this finds each of you well. Thank you for your commitment to each other’s safety. We miss you!
Last Friday we received additional direction from the Governor, which extends Michigan’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order. This direction requires our facility to remain closed to the public and to non-essential staff members through May 15. Here’s what we are doing now to ensure that we will be able to allow you to return to the Aquatic Center safely, when the time comes:
- Working to equip our team with all necessary masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, additional cleaning supplies, or PPE.
- Updating policies and procedures to align with aquatic center best practices from across the country to ensure our staff understands how to identify and stop the spread of COVID-19.
- Evaluating our facility common areas and planning out the best ways to keep them properly sanitized.
- Identifying social distancing methods that will allow us to keep everyone safe when they return to the Aquatic Center.
- Preparing our pools and other public spaces to re-open.
For all affected members, we remain committed to extending the duration of those memberships equal to the number of days of closure to allow you to use the Aquatic Center’s services in the future.
We hope that you are staying at home and safe, and we look forward to seeing you back here at our Aquatic Center soon!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
April 1, 2020
Hello Holland Aquatic Center members,
I hope this finds each of you home, safe and well. Thank you for helping to slow the spread of this COVID-19 virus that has affected each of our lives greatly. A big thank you to our Holland Hospital Health Care Team who are there for those in need in our area through this crisis.
To support our valued health care workers and to achieve the best possible outcome for each of us our Aquatic Center will remain closed until it is determined we can safely open. Today, we are advised to remain closed through Thursday, April 30 but this date may be extended. We will continue to update you as we receive additional direction from our public officials.
You may also know we continue to work on planning for our renovation and construction project. As soon as we are allowed to safely begin, our construction team will begin with parking lot enhancements. We are also planning to pour foundations for our new building this summer! Stay tuned for much more!
Things to know:
- If you have a current membership, the number of days of this closure will be added to your membership ending date.
- All affected programs/class participants will receive a future program/class credit, to be used when our facility resumes services.
To stay connected with us during this closure, follow us on Facebook and Instagram! We look forward to having everyone back in the water, but in the meantime, stay home, stay safe.
We’ll see you all soon!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
March 24, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members and Guests,
Based on the most recent direction that we are receiving from the State of Michigan, the Aquatic Center will remain closed to the public and all non-essential staff through Monday, April 13. We will continue to update you as we receive additional direction from our public officials.
Things to know:
- If you have a current membership, the number of days of this closure will be added to your membership ending date.
- All affected programs/class participants will receive a future program/class credit, to be used when our facility resumes services.
To stay connected with us during this closure, follow us on Facebook and Instagram! We look forward to having everyone back in the water, but in the meantime, stay home, stay safe.
Oh, and by the way, our teams working on renovation and expansion continue their work daily with parking lot revisions starting in April and a new exterior shell for the expansion up by the end of November this year! Stay tuned!
We’ll see you all soon!
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director
March 16, 2020
Dear Holland Community Aquatic Center Members and Guests,
We have been closely monitoring the recommendations of our public officials regarding the Coronavirus/COVID-19 situation. At this time we understand that it is in the best interest of our community to close our facility to the public. We have made the difficult decision to close to the public beginning today at 1:00 p.m. and through end of March. During this time and in order to employ some of our staff, we will attempt to accomplish our normal large-scale pool shutdowns and maintenance projects so when we are allowed to open these items will have been completed.
At this time we can provide the following information:
- If you have a current membership, the number of days of this closure will be added to your membership ending date.
- All affected program/class participants will receive a future program/class credit.
Please continue to check hollandaquaticcenter.org and our social media channels for updates.
Thank you for your continued understanding and patience during this unprecedented time. We are dedicated to the health and safety of the whole community, and will continue to follow the advice of our public officials. We look forward to reopening our facility to the public as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Jack Huisingh
Executive Director