Plymouth to Offer Swimming Lessons All Day Long at Wayzata East Middle Starting in January
The City of Plymouth continues its partnership with Wayzata Public Schools to offer swimming lessons and other aquatic exercise-related programming in the new year, and it will expand its offerings once it moves locations from one middle school to another.
Swimming lessons for now are offered at Wayzata West Middle School, and only in the evenings. Beginning in January, the programming will move to Wayzata West Middle School, and the pool will be open to city programming participants from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. most days. It will not have an impact on school activities elsewhere on the campus, according to city staff.
City of Plymouth aquatics programming will be moving from Wayzata West Middle School (above) to Wayzata East Middle School starting in January.
“The school district understands the community has a need and a desire for expanded swim lessons offerings and water safety opportunities and exercise potential, and they’re not able to offer those things,” said City of Plymouth Recreation Supervisor Katie Yandell. “Our partnership is really important to the community as we’re able to do that together.”
Yandell said, currently, the programming is limited at Wayzata West to mostly learn-to-swim and some water exercise programs. Once at Wayzata East and hours expand, she said the city can offer a variety of programs for all ages, including:
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons are available for a variety of experience levels and ages, from preschool toadult. Additionally, 30-minute private lessons are also available for ages 5 and older.
Adaptive Swim Lessons
Plymouth offer adaptive swim lessons taught by instructors who have been certified through Swim Angelfish’s Swim Whisperers program. Adaptive swim lessons are geared toward participants ages 5 and older who are on the autism spectrum or experience anxiety, physical disabilities, sensory sensitives and more. Semi-private adaptive swim lessons are also available.
Private Pool Rental/Themed Birthday Parties
Plymouth also offers the opportunity to hold a pool party. The pool may be rented privately for a minimum of two hours for up to 100 attendees. Party packages also offer mermaid, shark, pirate, tropical or glow-in-the-dark themes.
Water Exercise
A variety of no- to low-impact exercise classes are available to swimmers ages 16 and older. Offerings include deep water running, deep water cardio and aquafusion flow.
Specialty Classes/Events
Register for specialty classes to become a certified American Red Cross swim instructor or lifeguard.
Special swim events for youth are also available, including a shark tank social, party like a mermaid, tropical party and glow-in-the-dark pool party.
Drop-In Swim Activities
Drop-in swimming activities are available during select hours Monday through Friday and someweekends. Drop-in swim programs include lap swim, open swim, water walking, sensory swim and more. To view the drop-in swim schedule, visit plymouthmn.gov/aquatics.
“We want people to continue to move and be active,” said Yandell. “You can move in the water as a lifetime activity. Whether you have aches or pains or joint mobilities or are recovering from surgery, that’s an avenue you can do to be active and physically challenged and really enjoy it and as an alternative to land-based exercises.”
For more information, check out the City of Plymouth’s aquatics website.
