Friday, November 8
Lawrence Business Magazine LLC
Lawrence Business Magazine LLC
2015 Second Quarter - Education & Futures

Downtown in Focus: Downtown Aquatics Center

By on 538 Comments
Downtown Lawrence Outdoor Aquatics Center
| 2015 Q2 | story by KATHERINE DIAZ    | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |
Pool

Lawrence Outdoor Aquatics Center has a variety of swimming lessons for all ages.

Take a splash back to the summer of 1969. While the country was jammin’ out to “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies, Lawrence was completing the construction of its outdoor pool specifically – and conveniently – located downtown on Vermont Street.
“Swimming pools, traditionally when they were built back in the 50s and 60s, were built in the commercial hub, the downtown area, at a park or a place of gathering,” said Jimmy Gibbs, Recreation Operations Manager for the Lawrence Parks and Recreation.

Swimming is a popular activity among adults and children during the summer, and by the time children go back to school, most would have visited a swimming pool or engaged in a water-related activity. However, just as the water can be fun, it can also be very dangerous. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in its most recent Drowning in Kansas: Injury Prevention and Disability Program, for children 14 years old and younger, drowning was the third leading cause of injury death in 2012. In Lawrence, however, Gibbs and his team ensure everyone attending public waters is safe. On the other hand, to help individuals enjoy their time at the pool, various swimming lessons are provided at all ages.

“Lawrence is a very unique community in that we have folks that come from all over the globe that go to school here and not everybody has grown up around water,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs has seen many adults, who are international students, that have never swam before. Whether it’s not culturally acceptable or their community doesn’t have the means to provide a source for recreational swimming, these individuals have no experience about having fun or being safe in the water.

“We had to create or craft several years ago how to start helping and teaching those adult classes in being comfortable and being safe around the water,” Gibbs said.

It’s also essential for young children learning how to swim, to also learn and understand the importance of respecting the water, as Gibbs says.

“It’s fun but it can also be very dangerous,” he said. “It’s important for us providing physical education and health and wellness that that safety aspect is very important and that’s why in our swimming lessons that we have, they’re not just learning the strokes but they’re also learning how to keep themselves safe.”

Another measure taken to ensure the safety of all visitors are those standing watch over the Lawrence pools – its well-trained lifeguards supervised by Lori Madaus, Lawrence Aquatics Supervisor. Madaus is the one responsible for overseeing the indoor and outdoor pool, the South Park Wading Pool and staffs the Carl Knox Natatorium during school year.

“The responsibility you have for people’s lives – it’s a huge responsibility,” Madaus said. “People trust their children to you, they trust you to watch over and guard them while they’re swimming and the children look up to them.”

The concept of safeguarding the lives of others was greatly upheld by Dr. James Naismith who understood the significance of lifeguard responsibility, as well as the importance of knowing how to swim, as Gibbs explains while taking a deeper look into Lawrence’s pools from the past.

“Dr. Naismith from the University of Kansas – the inventor of basketball – he had a requirement that his athletes had to know how to swim, and that was a big challenge for his African American athletes on his teams,” Gibbs said. “There were literally no integrated swimming pools at the time.”

At that time there were black-only and white-only swimming pools in Lawrence, Gibbs further explained. Though there was a swimming pool, a YMCA-type that used to be downtown in the 1940s and 1950s where Dr. Naismith would take his African American athletes and they would be able to swim there. However, during these times of segregation across the country, the simple idea of swimming was a challenge.

“Dr. Naismith took one of his African American athletes who was a lifeguard in Kansas City to the swimming pool, and this was most likely on a Friday and after the kid gets out the custodial staff starts to drain the pool,” Gibbs said, the reason being was indirectly implied. “So then Dr. Naismith brought in members of the football team to stand guard at these swimming pools so that his African American athletes could swim and use the pool without being harassed.”

Pool

Drowning was the third leading cause of injury death in 2012 for children 14 years old and younger in Kansas.

The construction of the downtown outdoor pool in 1969 marked a significant time in Lawrence history as it opened to become the first integrated pool in the community. There had been white-only pools in the area, with not one black-only pool, according to Gibbs. The exception was the pool where Dr. Naismith took his African American athletes. The true lesson, however, to take away from the simple ability of knowing how to swim is what it teaches individuals. Aside from being safe and respecting the water, what matters are the life-long qualities swimming teaches students.

“Swimming is a lifelong skill. It doesn’t matter how young you are or how old you are it’s a skill teaches you responsibility, it teaches you punctuality and job skills that you can take throughout your whole life,” Madaus said. “ It doesn’t matter what career you choose, swimming teaches you the basic fundamentals of job skills.”

One can never be too young or too old to learn and develop these skills. Madaus and Gibbs have seen a wide-range of age groups learning the basics of swimming through the swimming lessons offered by the Lawrence pools. Many start as young as six months old, and there are occasional 80 year-olds as Madaus has witnessed.

“First-time grandparents – maybe they never learned how to swim – but their grandkids do or they’ve been invited to somebody’s lake house or out on a boat and they’re terrified,” Gibbs said. “So it’s a process of you’re not going to teach them to swim 50 meters, but we are going to help you get comfortable weighing up to your knees or knowing what to do if your grandkids are in trouble.”

Whether people are going by the pool for lessons or to have fun in the sun and water, one thing for sure is the Outdoor Aquatics Center is part of the enjoyable downtown experience.

“We’ve always been in that downtown area, and so we’re part of the experience of coming downtown. You find a place to park, you go to the library, you go to eat, maybe do some shopping, you go to the swimming pool and so all of those things are right there,” Gibbs said. “You’re not having to get in your car and go shopping or go someplace else to eat. I think we’re an important part and will continue to be an important part of the community.”

From the summer of 1969 onward, the Lawrence outdoor pool remains as a representation of cultural change, a place of learning and developing life skills and, of course, a place to have fun – safely – with family and friends.

Share.

Related Posts

538 Comments

  1. tubidy on

    An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. I think that you should write more on this subject, it might not be a taboo matter but usually folks don’t talk about these subjects. To the next! Best wishes!

  38. รับทำ Backlink on

    477338 658998Exceptional weblog here! Also your website loads up quick! What host are you utilizing? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my website loaded up as speedily as yours lol 223318

  46. 舞浜駅ホテル 安い on

    With Herbert as teammate, he took Benetton to its first Constructors’ Championship, breaking the dominance of McLaren and Williams, and turned the youngest two-time World Champion in Method One historical past.

  47. udemy 資産運用 on

    Here was Arafat, with all his posturing about preventing imperialism, with all his boasts in regards to the Mighty Individuals Waging Invincible Struggle In opposition to the Zionists and their Imperialist backers, and so on., being rescued by imperialists – very large ones – the USA and France.

  52. 안전놀이터 on

    Aw, this was an extremely good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to generate a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a whole lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.

  107. packman v4 on

    I blog frequently and I seriously thank you for your content. This article has truly peaked my interest. I am going to bookmark your blog and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed as well.

  116. 슬롯추천 on

    I’m amazed, I have to admit. Rarely do I come across a blog that’s both educative and engaging, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The problem is something that not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy I stumbled across this during my search for something relating to this.

  120. Mia Pink on

    The free Cam to Cam starting credit is worth it! With this gift you can convince yourself of the quality of the free show room and have a look around without obligation.

  152. J88 on

    Spot on with this write-up, I seriously feel this amazing site needs far more attention. I’ll probably be returning to see more, thanks for the advice!

  197. 敷行 読み方 on

    As a result of individuals can catch chicken pox following one dose of varicella vaccine, known as a breakthrough case, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends getting a second dose, sometimes called a booster shot.

  202. best mesothelioma lawyers directory on

    Just wish to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness in your post is just spectacular and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the rewarding work.

  204. best mesothelioma lawyers directory on

    Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept

  206. Mesothelioma lawyers directory on

    Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Very useful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I was looking for this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.

  207. best mesothelioma lawyers directory on

    Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the net the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think about worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

  212. advogado imobiliario on

    Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer. I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know. The layout look great though! Hope you get the issue resolved soon. Cheers

  213. advogado de trabalho on

    Thank you, I have just been looking for info about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I have discovered till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?

  224. testoprime on

    I don’t know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everyone else
    encountering issues with your site. It appears as if some of the
    written text within your posts are running off the screen. Can someone else
    please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them as
    well? This may be a issue with my internet browser because
    I’ve had this happen before. Appreciate it

    Here is my webpage – testoprime

  226. seo packages india on

    It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more things about it!

  241. 岡崎礼結婚相手 on

    Free French colonial forces from the Brigade of the East (Brigade d’Orient) below Colonel Monclar-together with the 13th International Legion Demi-Brigade (14th Battalion Légion Etrangère) and the third Battalion de Marche (from Chad)-fought Italian troops in their colonies of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the Vichy French Forces of French Somaliland.

  259. seo packages india on

    Hello, i think that i saw you visited my web site thus i came to ?return the favor?.I’m attempting to find things to enhance my website!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!

  260. Seo packages on

    Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and aid others like you helped me.

  261. Seo packages on

    Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea

  265. seo packages india on

    Great goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too fantastic. I actually like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you’re stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it smart. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great website.

  268. seo packages from $95 on

    I think this is one of the most important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The site style is ideal, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers

  270. m.livejasmin.com on

    Hi there, I do think your web site could possibly be having internet browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in IE, it has some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Aside from that, wonderful blog.

  315. cbd oil side effects on

    Thanks for your useful article. One other problem is that mesothelioma cancer is generally brought on by the inhalation of material from asbestos, which is a carcinogenic material. It can be commonly seen among workers in the building industry who have long contact with asbestos. It is also caused by living in asbestos insulated buildings for long periods of time, Genes plays a crucial role, and some people are more vulnerable towards the risk as compared to others.

  320. cbd oil for cats on

    You can definitely see your skills in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. All the time go after your heart.

  323. Malcolm Baurer on

    Good post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon everyday. It’s always helpful to read content from other authors and use a little something from other websites.

  330. Blue Dream on

    I was more than happy to uncover this web site. I want to to thank you for ones time due to this fantastic read!! I definitely liked every bit of it and I have you bookmarked to see new things on your site.

  332. Blue Dream on

    Everything is very open with a really clear description of the challenges. It was definitely informative. Your website is extremely helpful. Many thanks for sharing!

  333. bokep indo viral terbaru on

    Good ? I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, web site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task..

  334. подработка тольятти вакансии от прямых работодателей on

    подработка алматы ночная смена контрольная работа земля наш общий дом подработка грязовец для подростков подработка
    в калуге с ежедневной оплатой для женщин без оформления срочно свежие вакансии от прямых

  335. bokep jilbab on

    I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this information So i am happy to convey that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to don?t forget this web site and give it a look regularly.

  337. pure cbd oil on

    One important issue is that when you are searching for a education loan you may find that you will need a cosigner. There are many cases where this is true because you may find that you do not possess a past credit ranking so the loan company will require that you’ve someone cosign the loan for you. Thanks for your post.

  338. pure cbd oil on

    One thing I’d like to say is always that before acquiring more personal computer memory, consider the machine into which it could be installed. If the machine is running Windows XP, for instance, a memory threshold is 3.25GB. Putting in more than this would purely constitute any waste. Make certain that one’s motherboard can handle the particular upgrade quantity, as well. Great blog post.

  342. ilife 掲示板 on

    With Molde thus qualifying for Europa League Group A, Horvath joined Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan as the one American goalkeepers ever to play in the UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup group stage.

  343. tonic greens on

    Awesome blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers?

    I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
    Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there
    that I’m totally confused .. Any suggestions?
    Cheers!

    Feel free to visit my homepage … tonic greens

  348. 取手競輪ライブ映像 on

    At a time when the globalization of the Indian economy has let in a flood of Western commodities, a pediatrician in Philadelphia is quietly helping American babies profit from the knowledge and simplicity of a conventional Indian gadget.

  350. 塗布 使い方 on

    Due to this fact, multiply the number of present attendees by .Sixteen to get your “high interest attendees.” Take this number and multiply it by .Fifty three for vertical reveals or .37 for horizontal reveals, and you get your “potential audience.” Divide the potential viewers by the total variety of present hours and you will get the number “guests per hour.” Divide the guests per hour by the number of displays your booth staffers can do in an hour, and you will get the variety of staff you want.

  354. 4380 掲示板 on

    But, security first: To journey far away from civilization and off the overwhelmed path, you need to know the place your SUV’s wheels are, simply like you need to be able to see your toes to hike safely.

  359. cbd oil side effects on

    A person essentially help to make seriously articles I would state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to make this particular publish extraordinary. Great job!

  374. bokep indo colmek on

    Thanks for sharing your ideas in this article. The other issue is that when a problem takes place with a laptop motherboard, folks should not have some risk regarding repairing it themselves for if it is not done right it can lead to irreparable damage to the full laptop. It is almost always safe just to approach the dealer of a laptop for the repair of that motherboard. They’ve already technicians who may have an skills in dealing with pc motherboard difficulties and can carry out the right diagnosis and undertake repairs.

  376. cbd oil side effects on

    Hi there! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when viewing from my iphone 4. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to resolve this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thanks!

  388. cbd oil effects on

    Yet another thing I would like to state is that rather than trying to suit all your online degree courses on days that you complete work (since the majority of people are fatigued when they get home), try to obtain most of your classes on the weekends and only 1 or 2 courses for weekdays, even if it means a little time off your weekend break. This is fantastic because on the week-ends, you will be extra rested and also concentrated in school work. Thx for the different guidelines I have acquired from your website.

  397. bokep jilbab on

    Thanks for your thoughts. One thing really noticed is that often banks plus financial institutions know the spending behavior of consumers plus understand that a lot of people max out there their cards around the holidays. They prudently take advantage of this particular fact and start flooding ones inbox and snail-mail box using hundreds of no-interest APR credit cards offers immediately after the holiday season comes to an end. Knowing that should you be like 98 in the American general public, you’ll soar at the one opportunity to consolidate financial debt and switch balances to 0 APR credit cards.

  409. 온라인슬롯 on

    The next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t fail me just as much as this one. I mean, Yes, it was my choice to read through, but I genuinely believed you would have something interesting to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something you could possibly fix if you weren’t too busy searching for attention.

  410. ラブドール エロ on

    Kopitiams (a portmanteau of the Malay word for “coffee” and the Hokkien Chinese word for “shop”) are more than just places to get your morning coffee—they’re cultural institutions.ラブドール 高級A kopitiam is a coffee house crossed with a bar crossed with a neighborhood breakfast joint—a place for quick meals and lengthy gatherings with friends.

  411. 슬롯사이트 on

    I really love your site.. Great colors & theme. Did you create this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my own personal website and want to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is named. Thanks.

  417. nasdaq 先物 証券会社 on

    I have not tried the Overseas Service Institute French course they promote (Primary French Half A is US$175, Part B US$195, Superior Half A US$225, Superior Part B US$225), but I’ve labored by way of their Primary Spanish and German FSI courses and may suggest them with the following caveats.

  432. men's casual clothing on

    I blog often and I truly thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to bookmark your blog and keep checking for new details about once a week. I subscribed to your Feed too.

  444. download lagu on

    Whoa! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a completely different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!

  446. download lagu on

    This is undoubtedly one of the greatest articles I’ve read on this topic! The author’s thorough knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject shine through in every paragraph. I’m so appreciative for coming across this piece as it has enhanced my understanding and stimulated my curiosity even further. Thank you, author, for taking the time to craft such a remarkable article!

  458. download lagu on

    Thanks for the strategies presented. One thing I also believe is that credit cards presenting a 0 rate often attract consumers in with zero rate, instant authorization and easy on the net balance transfers, nonetheless beware of the number one factor that is going to void your current 0 easy road annual percentage rate and as well as throw anybody out into the poor house quickly.

  462. 冒す 意味 on

    Listed below are the most effective locations to seek out Star Wars collectibles in Akihabara; they are offered right here in an order that will give you a very good full-day walking tour of pretty much the whole Akihabara district, so grab a bottle of water, load up Google Maps, and let’s go!

  465. download lagu on

    Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any solutions to stop hackers?

  475. 온라인카지노 on

    You are so cool! I do not think I have read through anything like that before. So nice to find someone with some genuine thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This website is something that is required on the web, someone with a little originality.

  478. 카지노사이트 on

    I really love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you make this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own site and would love to learn where you got this from or what the theme is called. Many thanks!

  488. １５の春 on

    However, Beerschot mentioned that Kawashima was partly to blame: “The Lierse shot-stopper also took half in this as he provoked the Beerschot fans with offensive gestures and facial expressions. Our own goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen on the other hand by no means reacted to abusive chants and insults from the Lierse faithful.” Beerschot further emphasised that it was fully unacceptable to assert insults of this nature.

  490. 300万円投資 on

    The Doberman’s history begins within the tax world, having been bred initially by a tax collector who toted large quantities of money and was seeking protection.

  503. lottery tonight on

    I think that what you posted was actually very reasonable.
    But, what about this? suppose you composed a catchier title?
    I ain’t saying your information is not solid, however what if you added something that
    grabbed folk’s attention? I mean Downtown in Focus: Downtown Aquatics
    Center is kinda boring. You ought to peek at Yahoo’s home
    page and note how they write article headlines to get viewers interested.
    You might try adding a video or a picture or two to get
    people excited about everything’ve got to say. Just my opinion, it would
    make your posts a little livelier.

    Here is my web page … lottery tonight

  525. 芸術とは on

    Whether you want a basic serif font for a professional touch or a playful sans-serif font for a extra informal vibe, having a variety of font choices at your disposal ensures that your paperwork reflect your unique character and meet the particular necessities of your projects.

  528. 肩 上がる on

    The visible drama inherent in these excitingly patterned tiles is enhanced by utilizing different sizes of tiles and by setting some on the sq., some on the diagonal.

  529. 足利 銀行 解約 on

    Represented in numerous home windows in the chancel and nave, and courting from several years between 1980 and 1991, are Mary in numerous depictions (the Immaculate Mary, the Blessed Virgin and her Assumption into Heaven, and as Our Lady of Gillingham), Saint Raphael, Saint Gabriel, Saint Michael, Saint Alban, Saint Margaret Clitherow, Saint John Fisher, Saint Thomas of Canterbury and Saint Thomas Extra.

  534. porn movie on

    Thanks for your article. Another element is that being photographer includes not only trouble in recording award-winning photographs but additionally hardships in acquiring the best digicam suited to your requirements and most especially problems in maintaining the standard of your camera. This can be very accurate and clear for those photography lovers that are directly into capturing the actual nature’s eye-catching scenes – the mountains, the particular forests, the particular wild or seas. Going to these amazing places unquestionably requires a dslr camera that can live up to the wild’s tough conditions.

  535. Escort service on

    Thanks for the article. My spouse and i have constantly observed that many people are eager to lose weight simply because wish to appear slim plus attractive. Even so, they do not always realize that there are more benefits to losing weight also. Doctors say that over weight people come across a variety of illnesses that can be instantly attributed to their own excess weight. The good news is that people who’re overweight in addition to suffering from diverse diseases can help to eliminate the severity of their own illnesses through losing weight. You are able to see a constant but notable improvement in health while even a small amount of weight loss is attained.

Leave A Reply

Contact to Listing Owner

Captcha Code