The RDEK is pitching in some funding to provide special events for the Cranbrook Aquatic Centre aimed at boosting family attendance from local and regional residents.
The fee structure for the events at the Aquatic Centre and Western Financial Place were formerly under a two-tier system was abolished in March by Cranbrook city council.
Staff with the aquatic centre are now hoping to raise awareness about the new single-fee system by offering four free public swimming events through a $6490.40 grant.
The proposal would be four free public swimming events, one free swim-in movie night, one two-day free aquatic fitness event, and one New Year's event with organized games and activities.
RDEK board chair Rob Gay says he's been hearing a lot of positive feedback from Area C residents about the new fee structure.
"I'm hearing two things from Area C residents. One, that [they] didn't know that it's now a single fee, so the awareness isn't out there and the city made the decision in March," Gay said.
"I did speak with staff at the pool when I was putting this proposal together and they say they're seeing an increase in user-ship, so that's good. That's what we really need."
The free public swims and the swim-in movie night will be a two-hour event, while the two-day fitness event will incorporate six different aqua fit classes.
The last event, the New Years swim will be about three hours in duration featuring organized games by the lifeguards.
Dates for the four free swim events are:
•Sunday, Oct. 18 - 1 - 3 p.m.
•Thursday, Oct. 22 - 7 - 9 p.m.
•Thursday, Nov. 26 - 7 - p.m.
•Sunday, Dec. 6 - 1 - 3 p.m.
The events will be free public swims open to anyone—adults, families, and children with full use of the aquatic centre including water slide, wave pool, hot tub, main pool and saunas.
Free swim-in movie night
Friday, Nov. 13, 7 - 9 p.m.
The event will be open to all residents of Cranbrook and Area C residents, as centre staff would present a movie projected onto a white screen at the shallow end of the wave pool. The waves will not be activated during the movie, while the hot tub, saunas, main pool and water slide would remain open as well.
Free New Year's Swim
Thursday, Dec. 1 - 4 p.m.
A free public swim with games for children organized by the lifeguards with all normal amenities remaining open. According to centre staff, there have been New Year's swims in the past that have been well attended.