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When Harris Rosen, hotelier and philanthropist, mulled diving into to assist a struggling YMCA in central Florida, he was advised against it. He was told that taking on a greater responsibility at the Rosen YMCA Aquatic Center — a site with a personal connection related to sharing Rosen’s name — was akin to swimming upstream.
To be fair, history has not necessarily been kind to the facility. It first shuttered in 1992 before Rosen pulled some impressive strings to keep the site afloat until the COVID-19 pandemic sent finances underwater in 2020.
Despite the odds, the Orlando business icon played lifesaver again, pouring finances and resources into what is now the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center. Located on Orlando’s famed International Drive, the facility debuted under its new name and improved offerings in 2021 and is a genuine lifeline for Orange County residents and guests.
“It’s amazing what Mr. Rosen does,” said Mike Miller, executive director of the Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center. “It’s almost like he is not even human the way he gives back to the community.”
The aquatic center was a veritable perfect storm of Rosen’s core beliefs. Since developing his local hotel empire–he operates seven properties in the Orlando area–he has developed multiple programs for underserved members of the community, particularly youth. It’s also no secret how Rosen, who turns 85 years young in September, stays in remarkable shape: He swims about 1.5 miles per day at the center, making him the ideal case study for the importance of maintaining aquatics facilities regardless of region.
Image Source: Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center
Despite the financial burdens associated with providing safe swimming centers, the benefits outweigh the costs, said Marina Wells, general manager of Pelican Bay Aquatic Center in Edmond, Oklahoma. She compared aquatics facilities to public services such as emergency response offered by police and firefighters–which draw from the same money pot as publicly funded pools.
“Swimming is a life-saving skill,” said Wells.
“One drowning is too many,” said Miller. “Until we get to zero, our job is not complete.”
Despite the numbers, communities struggle to keep up with the demand even as families cope with tragic accidents during seemingly innocent recreational activities like a backyard swim or a trip to the river or lake. Aquatic centers have higher built-in costs, such as chemically treating water, filters, and other equipment, that activities like soccer don’t have. It is not uncommon for a local government to subsidize aquatic facilities up to $1 million annually.
“The reason we don’t have more is they’re expensive to build and they’re expensive to pay off,” said Kevin Post, CEO of Counsilman-Hunsaker, a leading aquatic planning and design firm.
Few communities are as fortunate as Orlando to have a private citizen with the means to rescue struggling swim centers. But Post said it’s incumbent on local governments to find a way to ensure people of all ages learn the basics about swimming. “It’s something we are supposed to provide,” he said.
Wells agreed: “It adds to the quality of life within a community.”
Ken Cobb, senior vice president at The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), a firm that operates aquatic venues through the U.S. including Artesia Aquatic Center (AAC) in New Mexico, said the goal in his first full year was to strike a balance between reducing the city’s financial subsidy while maintaining and expanding safety and popular programs.
Popularity isn’t an issue at the facility–it was at or near capacity most of last season. Jayde Burnell, recreation supervisor for the City of Artesia, said the swim center is a tremendous resource to the township.
Image Source: Artesia Aquatic Center
“The AAC offers a family-friendly entertainment environment in a small town where people can say there isn’t much to do. They host movie nights, kids carnivals, and food truck Fridays,” Burnell said. “The AAC adds tremendous recreational value, wonderful health and wellness benefits, and greatly improves the quality of life in Artesia.”
The only trouble is previous management struggled to create revenue out of the usage. Which is why they outsourced to The Sports Facilities Companies, to reverse the pool’s fortunes so it can remain economically viable.
Leadership at AAC said the most noticeable change this summer is that outside food will not be allowed while the concession stand offerings are enhanced. The AAC is also encouraging more cabana rentals, looking to attract more parties, and reaching out to local businesses to become sponsors.
AAC successfully bid on two state competitions that drew off-season crowds–potential customers for the concession stand. After the success of both meets, the AAC plans to bring in additional competitions. They are also eyeing ways to use the grounds for additional events like concerts to draw in revenue when the pool isn’t open.
The desire among those in the swim community is that toddlers and young children who wade into a zero-entry pool are taking the first step toward a lifetime passion. Adults may cede splash pads to younger generations but can have their fill of water through swimming daily laps like Rosen or taking aqua-aerobics classes that relieve joint pain and are an enjoyable social outlet for seniors and/or individuals with special needs.
Grasping the fundamentals at an early age is the foundation for aquatics facilities, which strive to provide affordable swim lessons so that price doesn’t become a deterrent. Rosen’s Learn to Swim program allows 90 children to take lessons for free and the separate Step Into Swim grant program provides newcomers one month’s worth of classes. Both programs are designed to eliminate the fear factor some have around the water and encourage ongoing participation that can open future opportunities, said Miller.
Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center has 1,300 membership units (which can include entire families). The facility also hosts swimming, diving, and water polo teams from six Orange County high schools. Many members of those teams go on to earn college scholarships, adding to the physical benefits swimming provides.
Image Source: Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center
“We’re assisting student-athletes on getting to the next level–whether that be with academics or athletics–whatever that next level is,” said Miller.
The universal appeal of the facility is apparent in the Central Florida hot spot. Not only does the center prove a beacon for the sizable senior population, but it also works closely with Special Olympics athletes–not just for swimming, but other sports. Notably, the 2022 Special Olympics was hosted there.
Outdoor aquatics centers like Pelican Bay and AAC are seasonal and weather-dependent. Beyond out-of-school students lounging in their free time, such facilities are meaningful to communities for myriad reasons. Safety outreach extends beyond swim lessons to lifeguard training. Teenagers legally old enough to use Pelican Bay without parental supervision are still required to go through a program establishing protocols and expectations. This training not only strengthens skills and fosters a lifelong love of the pool for teens, but guests can also feel confident that their aquatic experience will be a safe one.
More than that though, swimming pools are an affordable venue for fun and bonding. Communities with well-maintained pools gain access to a top-of-the-line site for local summer teams to practice and compete. Pool parties and other celebrations are also popular. When combined, Pelican Bay welcomes more than 50,000 people seasonally, according to Wells.
Programs like Junior Guards, which teaches pre-teens the basis of lifeguarding, build a feeder system to fend off the country’s national lifeguard shortage. The American Lifeguard Association estimated that one-third of the 309,000 pools in America were affected by the lifeguard shortage in 2023.
Image Source: Artesia Aquatic Center
Creating a bond within the community has additional benefits. Wells credits her strong relationship with Edmond’s Parks and Recreation Department for facilitating maintenance and repairs–a top priority when Brad Raney took over as department director last year. As the only outdoor public pool in the Edmond area, Pelican Bay holds a special place among its residents, as demonstrated by its popularity–it regularly wins polls as the region’s best place to swim.
Yet, after more than 20 years in operation, Pelican Bay is ready for some tender loving care. By being transparent about the site’s needs, including fixing a leak in the pool, Raney found a receptive audience when presenting plans for renovations to the Edmond City Council, which quickly made improvements to Pelican Bay a four-star goal.
“I had that tough conversation with our council,” said Raney. “But it was important that the council knows what’s going on so when we go to do major renovations, they know why we’re spending that money.”
Continued Raney: “It’s critical that we have places where we can offer swim lessons for public safety. Something I’ve learned throughout my career is that pools are often not great financially for a local government, but they play a critical role in the safety of the public. I think the council understood that pretty well.”
Meanwhile, leadership at AAC are also making their case for their pool’s importance by recruiting sponsors.
“Aquatic centers like Artesia may not pay for themselves, but can cut down costs without reducing enjoyment,” said Cobb.
“Few aquatics centers generate profit,” said Cobb. “But the impact on community safety, health and wellness, and hometown pride is worth the investment.”
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