By:Leslie Gonzalez
At a seasonal cost of $290 per family, membership at Lynbrook's new public pool has been described by some residents as a bit pricey. Others, such as Dr. Daryl Altman, describe the cost as prohibitive.
A divorced mother of two, Altman charges that the village's policy of limiting admission to season-pass holders favors more affluent, non-working parents with small children and large families.
"It's a discriminatory policy, and it's not fair," Altman said.
Pool membership fees are $290 per family, $225 per couple, $200 per senior couple, $125 for individuals, $110 for individual seniors and $75 for an individual child under 18. According to Thomas Miccio, village trustee and pool project coordinator, members can bring up to six guests for a weekday fee of $6 per adult and $4 for children, or a weekend fee of $8 for adults and $6 for children.
Only residents of the Incorporated Village of Lynbrook are allowed to use the complex, which excludes people living in Lynbrook's non-incorporated sections, north of Hendrickson Avenue and south of Union Avenue.
Altman offered to pay the daily admission rate when she visited the pool with her children earlier this month but was told that guest passes are available only to season-pass holders.
Altman, who works two jobs, said the $290 family rate is too costly, especially because her daughter Kara Feilich, 12, and son Ethan Feilich, 9, visit her on alternate weekends.
"When you consider the possibility of rain, this amounts to about five or six pool days per season," which costs an average of $15 to $20 per person, per visit, Altman said.
She refused to pay the season-pass fee and instead took her children to West Hempstead's Echo Park, operated by the Town of Hempstead.
Echo Park charges $5.50 for adults from Lynbrook, $2.75 for youths 5-9, and is free to children under 5.
Miccio said he has received complaints about the pool rates, but defended the village's policy: "In our research, we found that successful pools do not have daily rates ... why pay a seasonal rate if you can go anytime you want and pay?"
Thus, Miccio said, offering non-members daily rates all season is counterproductive to increasing membership for the self-sustaining pool. To date, nearly 900 membership applications, representing 3,000 people, have been received for Lynbrook's new pool, Miccio said. That number is still 600 shy of what's needed this year to help cover the project's costs.
"Of course, we've received complaints," and village officials hope to address them in next year's planning, Miccio said.
Mary Desmond, also a divorced mother of two, recognized Altman's plight and fooled around with the numbers to find the most affordable solution. Rather than pay the $290 family rate, she paid $125 as an individual and $75 for each of her children, David, 13, and Janie, 10. She saved $15.
Desmond, who uses the pool at least twice a week, suggested Altman take her approach to gain pool accessibility.
"As a single parent, things can be difficult, especially financially. I've been through it," Desmond said. "But I feel the [pool] rates are fair, and there are plenty of options."
Other families support the pool policy, including Martin and Janet Lohr.
"The family rate has worked really well for us," said Janet, who brings her son to the pool nearly every day. "I feel the village has been very accommodating."
But Barbara Stern, a grandmother of four, condemned the village's policy. Stern, who doesn't frequent the pool herself, said she would like to bring her grandchildren there. She said permitting season members to bring non-resident guests should be extended to residents who choose to be non-members.
"It's a foolish thing [the village] has done. It's a village pool. As a village resident of over 30 years, I should be able to use it when I choose," Stern said. "I hope they address this next year."
Altman and Stern wrote letters to the Herald complaining about the lack of a daily admission rate. Altman said limiting admission to season-pass holders discriminates against families with limited free time, such as working parents, children in summer school and day camps, and single parents who may have their children for only a fraction of the summer. "For these Lynbrook residents, the $290 tab is exorbitant and unrealistic," Altman wrote in a letter dated July 5.
According to Miccio, revenues generated from seasonal passes over the years are expected to cover the pool's construction cost, as well as its day-to-day operating expenses, making the facility financially self-sustaining, with a balancing out of costs by its fifth year of operation.
"We're hoping more people will join," Miccio said. He said the village will review the pool's operating costs and utility expenses monthly and evaluate them for next year's rates.
"We will look at rates and other issues, such as the number of memberships on each level, why they came in the way they did, and what we can do to increase them," Miccio said.
