Last Lap in the Rose Pool event offers chance to say goodbye to pool
Loud, upbeat music echoed through the room as students and Mount Pleasant community members danced and splashed along in the Rose Pool during an aqua fitness class.
In the dive pool, teenagers were practicing their cannonballs and swim techniques while children and their parents splashed around.
The Last Lap in Rose Pool event was held on Saturday. University Recreation held the event in honor of the pool’s closing. Some of the events held were an aqua fitness class, swim races and a cannonball contest.
“It’s a Saturday. We’re pretending it’s summer," Mount Pleasant residen Minsheng Dai said. “The opportunity to be here and just swim with other people is fun. I’ve been a Student Activity Center member since I moved here in 2004. My day goes (like this) — home, work, SAC. I’m here every night, as long as they’re open.”
In September 2015, a committee reached a decision to close the pool because repairing the more than 40-year-old pool would cost the university about $4.6 million.
The day began with an aqua fitness class that was attended by about 20 people. They followed an instructor as they listened to fast dance music and Christmas songs.Following that, there were several swim races that both competitive and casual swimmers participated in. Families and friends of the swimmers cheered them on from the sidelines and prizes were awarded to the top swimmers for each event.
Parents watched from the sidelines and ate the snacks provided. For the cannonball contest, there was an inflatable pole that had measurements ranging from “splash” to “tidal wave” marked along the side, in order to judge how high the cannonball went. After all the activities were over, participants enjoyed an open swim time to close out the event.
Sherry Trombly, a Mount Pleasant resident who routinely attends classes at the Rose Pool, had some reservations about the pool’s closing, but said she still enjoyed herself at the event.
“They should just have a big pool party. More music, everybody dancing in the pool," Trombly said. "Maybe a floating coffee bar where you can swim up and get yourself a latte."
