Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks & Recreation
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Pool Rules


General Rules
  1. Listen to the lifeguards.
  2. All swimmers must take a complete shower, including hair.
  3. Walk, don’t run.
  4. Rough horseplay, foul language and fighting are not permitted.
  5. Please put your gum in the trash. No food or drink is allowed in the Locker rooms or pool deck.
  6. No resting on or swimming over the lanes lines or safety ropes.
  7. Children age 5 and over must dress in the locker room that corresponds to their gender. If you would rather your child didn’t go through the locker room alone, ask a Lifeguard about alternatives.
  8. The pool is for aquatic activities only.
  9. Harassing or unwelcome behavior that results in multiple complaints could result in loss of facility privileges.
  10. No aquatic instruction is allowed during open or lap swim times except by certified pool staff or with prior parental consent.
  11. The use of photographic equipment or imaging devices is prohibited in the locker rooms and rest rooms. Video Recording or photography of any kind elsewhere within this facility must be approved by the Facility or Event Manager.

Floatation devices
  1. All floatation rings must have a seat in them. No rafts or large flotation devices are allowed.
  2. Water wings, puddle jumpers, float belts or life jackets are allowed as long as the child is accompanied within an arm’s reach of an adult (person 16 years old or older).
  3. No floatation devices are allowed in the deep end. Aqua jogging is permitted.
  4. Kickboards are not allowed during open swims.
  5. Pool owned fins are for lessons and lap swim only. You may bring your own. No walking on deck while wearing fins.
  6. Any personal equipment brought to the pool must be approved by the Lead Guard.
  7. No sitting on the balls. Balls must remain on the surface of the water.
  8. No playing ball on deck, you must shoot the basketball from the water. No head shots.
  9. Do not touch the basketball rim or net.

Deep End/Diving Rules
  1. Non-swimmers of any age are not allowed in the deep end of the pool. The lifeguard may ask any swimmer they are unsure of to take a swim test
    1. Hamme & Wescott Pool swim test: swim 25 yards nonstop.
    2. Mary Siah Rec. Center swim test: swim across the shallow end and back nonstop.
  2. Diving is not allowed at Mary Siah Rec. Center.
  3. Diving is allowed in the deep end at Hamme and Wescott Pools.
  4. Flips, twists or back dives are not permitted from the side.
       Hamme Pool 
  1. If the low board is open, please keep the area near the board clear. Activities are allowed along the wall between the ladder and the rope.
  2. If the low board is closed, you may swim and dive in the deep end. Do not go past the low board.
  3. Area in front of the side ladders must be clear.
  4. One person on board at a time, wait on deck until the board is cleared.
  5. Once the person ahead of you is at the ladder, jump or dive straight off the board.
  6. Only one bounce on the board, no running, hanging or sitting on the board.
  7. High divers exit to the left and low divers exit to the right.
  8. Keep the fulcrum in the most forward position.
       Wescott Pool
  1. If the low board is open, please keep the area near the board clear. Activities are allowed along the wall between the ladder and the rope.
  2. If the low board is closed, you may swim and dive in the deep end. Do not go past the low board.
  3. Area in front of the side ladder must be clear.
  4. One person on board at a time, wait on deck until the board is cleared.
  5. Once the person ahead of you is at the ladder, jump or dive straight off the board.
  6. Only one bounce on the board, no running, hanging or sitting on the board.
  7. Low board users swim left to the ladder and exit the pool.
  8. High board users swim away from the board, turn right after the water fall and swim under the yellow slide to the ladder.
  9. Keep the fulcrum in the most forward position on the board.

Hygiene Requirements (DEC 18AAC 30.546)
  1. Swimmers must shower with warm water and soap, and rinse off all soap before entering the pool.
  2. The pool manager shall restrict from using the pool any person known or reasonably suspected to have: a communicable disease; skin lesions; sore inflamed eyes reasonably believed to have been caused by a communicable disease; or mouth, nose, or ear discharge.
  3. No person may urinate, spit, blow their nose or deposit any foreign matter in the pool.
  4. Tobacco, food and drink are prohibited in the locker room, on the deck or in the pool.
  5. Only persons dressed for bathing, unless authorized by the pool manager, are allowed on the pool deck or in the pool.
  6. Signs stating the requirements of (a) through (e) of this section must be visibly posted in the dressing rooms and by the pool.

Thank you for helping us make our facilities safe and friendly places!