Pupils told no laps until 7pm

Brock Parker, 9, Jack Childs, 9 and Alex Cook, 8 with Sarah Cook. The children were advised they weren't allowed to swim lengths. Photo / Joel Ford

Three children have been told they may not swim lengths at the Greerton Aquatic and Leisure Centre until after 7pm if an adult is providing advice, because this would be classified as a lesson.

Mother Sarah Cook said her son Alex Cook, 8, and his two 9-year-old friends were working towards a school challenge of being able to swim 500m but were told they could not swim laps in the public 25m swimming pool until after 7pm.

Pool staff said it was because family friend Kristie Purton was on the side of the pool helping the children with their technique so it was classified as a lesson, Mrs Cook said.

"Furthermore we have been advised that any parent is not allowed to teach their own child to swim in the public pools until after 7pm," she said.

"I am sure that most parents would agree that 7pm is not a practical time of night for young children to be swimming and I find the policy not allowing children to pay to swim after school in a public pool ridiculous."

Mrs Cook has been paying for her two children to have swimming lessons at the pool once a week since 2007 but was planning to enrol them elsewhere next term.

"We believe that reinforcing, later in the week, what our children learn on a Monday can only be a good thing and find it staggering that the pools will not allow this."

Mrs Cook has taken her children to swim laps at the pool and offered her own advice to them on other occasions and found the staff happy to help, but on the two occasions during the last two weeks when Ms Purton supervised the three boys, she was hauled into the office and shown the contract.

"I wouldn't have thought there would be any type of restrictions on what you can do in a public facility when you are paying to use it. When other people have tried to do this [the same thing] they have been charged lane hireage of $50 an hour," she said. "I think the Greenpark School challenge is an awesome challenge. How are the kids meant to be able to do that if they are not allowed [to practise]? I'd hate for people not to be able to learn to swim."

With 98 drownings in 2012 children need to be encouraged to learn to swim well, Mrs Cook said.

A spokesperson for Greerton Aquatic and Leisure Centre told the Bay of Plenty Times a formal response to Mrs Cook's complaint was being prepared but she was not at liberty to comment.