A Look at Trends in Aquatic Facilities
Whether it's a park district's aquatic park, a YMCA's natatorium or a college rec center's outdoor pool, facilities that feature aquatic elements are quite common in the recreation, sports and fitness industry, and they require special care and management practices to operate efficiently and effectively. From small hotel pools to large waterparks spanning multiple acres with slides, surf experiences, wave pools and more, aquatic facilities require unique expertise and specialized equipment to keep them safe and operational. They require a heftier budget and a well-trained staff, from lifeguards with knowledge of how to rescue people at risk of drowning to pool operators who understand all the nuances of pool water chemistry. Beyond this, they need careful consideration of programs and schedules to ensure the community or membership is getting the biggest bang for its aquatic bucks.
This section of the Industry Report will dive deeper into the answers from respondents to the survey whose facilities include aquatic elements. This includes those with indoor or outdoor swimming pools, splash play areas, waterparks, aquatic parks and hot tubs. Of course, we also cover this part of the industry specifically in our breakout research, The Aquatic Trends Report, presented in the February 2021 issue. Visit the RecManagement.com website to find out more.
In 2021, 54.6% of respondents to the Industry Report survey said their facilities include aquatics, up from 52.3% in 2020. (See Figure 35.)
As usual, outdoor swimming pools were the most common type of aquatic feature found in aquatic respondents' facilities. More than two-thirds (67.2%) said they currently had at least one outdoor pool, down from 71.7% in 2020. Nearly six out of 10 (59.2%) said they had at least one indoor pool, down slightly from 59.9% in 2020. Splash play areas were found among 49.8% of aquatic respondents' facilities, down from 56.7% in 2020. While far less common, waterparks were still found at 17% of aquatic respondents facilities, down from 22.4%. And finally, 37.2% said they currently feature hot tubs, spas and whirlpools, down just slightly from 37.7%. (See Figure 36.)
Outdoor swimming pools were the most common among respondents facilities' in the South Central and Western regions. Some 77.9% of South Central respondents and 72.9% of Western respondents said they currently have outdoor pools. They were followed closely by the South Atlantic, where 70.2% have outdoor pools. Respondents in the Northeast (65.7%) and Midwest (57.4%) were less likely to have outdoor pools.
Indoor swimming pools were most common among respondents from the Midwest, where 61.9% said they had at least one indoor pool. They were followed by the South Central region (60.6%) and the Northeast (60.2%). Respondents from the South Atlantic (58.9%) and the West (53.8%) were less likely to have indoor pools.
Splash play areas were most prevalent in the South Central region and the Midwest. Some 59.4% of South Central respondents and 54.2% of Midwestern respondents said they currently have at least one splash play area. They were followed by the South Atlantic (50%) and the West (49.1%). Respondents in the Northeast were the least likely to have splash play areas, though more than one-third (35.5%) said they had at least one.
Likewise, waterparks were also most prevalent in the South Central and Midwestern regions. Some 30.4% of South Central respondents and 24.5% of Midwestern respondents said they had at least one waterpark. Waterparks were much less prevalent in other regions, with 15.5% of South Atlantic respondents, 10.5% of Western respondents and just 3.2% of Northeastern respondents indicating they had a waterpark.
Western respondents were the most likely to have a hot tub, spa or whirlpool. Some 44.2% of Western respondents said they had at least one hot tub, followed by those in the Midwest (38.9%) and South Atlantic (38.5%). Nearly one-third (32.2%) of South Central respondents and more than one-quarter (26.1%) of Northeastern respondents also said they currently have a hot tub, spa or whirlpool.
Some types of facilities are obviously more likely to be home to certain types of aquatic features than others. For example, you'd probably be more likely to expect indoor pools at Ys and colleges, whereas outdoor pools would be more expected among parks and camps.
Outdoor swimming pools were, in fact, most commonly found in camp facilities, followed by parks. Some 97.1% of camp respondents with aquatics said they had at least one outdoor pool, while 76.6% of park respondents with aquatics had outdoor pools. They were followed by rec centers, where 69.2% of aquatic respondents said they had at least one outdoor pool.
Indoor swimming pools were found in the facilities of more than nine out of 10 aquatic respondents from schools, health clubs, colleges and Ys. Some 96.4% of school respondents with aquatics said they had at least one indoor pool, along with 94.4% of health club respondents, 92.4% of colleges and 92% of Ys.
Splash play areas were by far the most prevalent among aquatic respondents from park facilities. Some 71.6% of park respondents with aquatics said they had at least one splash play area. They were followed distantly by respondents from Ys (41.8%) and camps (25.8%).
Waterparks were much less common for all facility types, though 26.9% of rec centers with aquatics said they had a waterpark. Some 22.8% of Y aquatic respondents and 20.9% of park aquatic respondents also said they had a waterpark.
Hot tubs, spas and whirlpools were most prevalent among the facilities of respondents from health clubs and Ys. Some 88.9% of health club respondents with aquatics said they had a hot tub, spa or whirlpool, as did 69.2% of Y respondents. Half (50%) of rec center respondents with aquatics also said they had at least one hot tub, spa or whirlpool.
As usual, the vast majority of aquatic facilities covered by the survey are used either for leisure and recreation, or for a combination of recreational and competitive activities, though there were slightly more competition-only pools than usual. Some 2.1% of aquatic respondents said their pools are used for competition only, up from 0.7% in 2020. More than half (51.8%) said their aquatic facilities are home to both recreational and competitive activities, while 46.1% said their pools are used only for leisure and recreation. (See Figure 37.)
Competition-only pools are fairly rare, but are most commonly found among respondents from schools and colleges. Some 22.2% of school respondents and 6.3% of college respondents with aquatics said their pools are used for competition only.
Pools that are used only for leisure and recreation are most common for camp respondents. Some 97.2% of camp respondents with aquatics said their pools are for leisure and recreation. They were followed by health clubs, where more than half (52.4%) said their aquatics are simply for recreation.
Combination recreation-competition pools are most common for Ys, where more than three-quarters of respondents (75.8%) said their pools are used for a combination of leisure and competition. They were followed by schools (66.7%) and rec centers (57.8%).
Pools & Budgets
While all respondents saw their average operating cost drop from 2019 to 2020, aquatic respondents reported a smaller decrease than non-aquatic respondents. From 2019 to 2020, aquatic respondents' overall operating costs fell 10.4%, from an average of $2,680,000 in 2019 to $2,400,000 in 2020. This compares with a 17.3% decrease for non-aquatic respondents, from $1,620,000 in 2019 to $1,340,000 in 2020.
Looking forward, however, aquatic respondents were expecting their operating expenses to increase at a slower clip than non-aquatic respondents. From 2020 to 2022, aquatic respondents projected a 5% increase, to an average of $2,520,000. In that same time frame, non-aquatic respondents are expecting an 11.2% increase, to an average of $1,490,000.
While aquatic respondents reported A 10.4% decrease in their overall operating budget from 2019 to 2020, their operating budget for aquatics only fell much faster. Aquatic operating budgets decreased 23.7% from 2019 to 2020, from an average of $590,000 in 2019 to $450,000 in 2020. Looking forward, aquatic respondents were expecting aquatic operating budgets to increase a further 11.1% between 2020 and 2022, to an average of $500,000. (See Figure 38.)
Respondents from Ys reported the highest average aquatic operations expense in 2020, at $770,000. They were followed by rec centers ($670,000) and parks ($490,000). The lowest average aquatic operating expenditures were found among respondents from camps ($100,000) and schools ($190,000) in 2020.
From 2019 to 2020, the greatest decrease in average aquatic operating expenses was reported by respondents from camps, who spent 71.4% less, dropping from an average of $350,000 in 2019 to $100,000 in 2020. They were followed by schools, with a 45.7% drop, from $350,000 to $190,000; and parks, with a 28.7% decrease, from $670,000 to $490,000. College respondents also reported a decrease, with aquatic expenses falling 17.2% from $290,000 to $240,000.
Respondents from health clubs, Ys and rec centers all reported an increase to their aquatic operating expenses from 2019 to 2020. Health clubs reported the greatest increase—57.1%, from an average of $210,000 to $330,000. More modest increases were seen in aquatic expenses for rec centers (up 6.3%, from $630,000 to $670,000), and Ys (up 4.1%, from $740,000 to $770,000).
Looking forward, respondents from camps were expecting their aquatic expenses to increase the most between 2020 and 2022—with an increase of 120%, from $100,000 to $220,000. They were followed by colleges, with a 20.8% increase to an average of $290,000 in 2022. Parks, Ys and rec centers also projected increases, with aquatic operating costs rising 8.2% to an average of $530,000 in 2022 for parks, 6.5% to an average of $820,000 for Ys, and 3% to an average of $690,000 for rec centers. Respondents from schools and health clubs projected no change to their operating costs between 2020 and 2022.
More than six out of 10 (61.4%) aquatic respondents said their aquatic revenues fell from 2019 to 2020, while 29.6% reported no change in that time frame, and 9% reported an increase. Respondents from Ys were the most likely to report a decrease, with 79.1% indicating their aquatic revenues had fallen from 2019 to 2020. They were followed by rec centers, where 70% reported a decrease, and health clubs, where 68.2% reported a decrease.
From 2020 to 2021, expectations level out somewhat, with 31.1% of aquatic respondents expecting aquatic revenues to increase, 28.2% expecting a decrease, and 40.7% projecting no change. Respondents from health clubs, Ys and rec centers were the most likely to be expecting aquatic revenues to increase in 2020, with 40.9% of health club respondents, 38.4% of Y respondents and 35.7% of rec center respondents reporting that they expect aquatic revenues to increase in 2021. Respondents from colleges were the most likely to be expecting a decrease in aquatic revenues in 2021, with 46.2% reporting that they expect aquatic revenues will fall this year.
Looking forward, 43.3% of aquatic respondents are expecting their aquatic revenues to increase in 2022, while 13.2% expect a decline, and 43.5% expect no change. Respondents from health clubs and rec centers were the most likely to be expecting an increase. Some 57.1% of health club respondents, as well as 57.1% of rec center respondents said they expect aquatic revenues to increase from 2021 to 2022. They were followed by Ys, where 56.3% of respondents said they expect aquatic revenues to increase in this time frame.
The number of aquatic respondents who report that their aquatic revenues support their aquatic operations was virtually unchanged in 2021. Some 19.5% of aquatic respondents said their aquatic facilities generate the revenues to support their operations, down just slightly from 19.8% in 2020. Another 72.7% said their aquatic facilities are subsidized via funding from other sources. (See Figure 39.)
Respondents from health clubs were the most likely to report that their aquatic expenses are paid for via aquatic revenues. Some 36.4% of health club respondents with aquatics said they cover their aquatic operating costs with revenues, up from 26.7% in 2020. They were followed by Ys, where 28.9% said their aquatic costs are covered by revenues, up from 23.6% in 2020.
Respondents from camps were the most likely to report that their aquatic operating costs are subsidized via funding from other sources. Some 88.9% of camps said their aquatic operations are subsidized, up from 86.5% in 2020. They were followed by schools (78.6%) and colleges (75.9%).
Respondents with aquatic facilities were much more likely to report that they had taken action to reduce their expenditures than those with no aquatic features. Some 93.3% of aquatic respondents said they had taken such action, while 86.4% of non-aquatic respondents had done so. Aquatic respondents were more likely than non-aquatic respondents to report that they had taken every type of action covered in the survey. They were most likely to indicate that they had: reduced staff (61.8% vs. 50.2%); reduced their hours of operation (61.1% vs. 42.7%); cut programs or services (60.6% vs. 49.7%); closed facilities temporarily (55.5% vs. 42.2%); or improved energy efficiency (38.2% vs. 32.6%). (See Figure 40.)
Programming
The vast majority—93.3%—of aquatic respondents reported that they provide programming of some kind at their aquatic facilities, which includes everything from swim lessons and water safety training to aquatic exercise and more. This includes 100% of aquatic respondents from Ys and 99.1% of aquatic respondents from colleges. More than nine out of 10 aquatic respondents from schools (96.4%), health clubs (95.5%), and rec centers (95.3%) also said they offer aquatic programming. Slightly fewer respondents from parks (89.3%) and camps (88.2%) said they provide programming at their aquatic facilities.
The top 10 most common aquatic programs at aquatic facilities include:
- Leisure swim (83%)
- Learn-to-swim for children (75.6%)
- Lap swim (74.3%)
- Lifeguard training (71.5%)
- Aquatic exercise programs (61.5%)
- Water safety programs (57.4%)
- Learn-to-swim for adults (55.9%)
- Youth swim teams (54.1%)
- Swim meets and competitions (46.2%)
- School or collegiate swim teams (32.4%)
The only program type that saw growth from 2020 to 2021 was school and collegiate swim teams, up from 29.3% in 2020 to 32.4% in 2021.
With Ys generally leading the pack in terms of programming, it comes as no surprise that aquatic respondents from Ys were the most likely to offer most of the program types covered in the survey. They were more likely than other facilities to offer: learn-to-swim for children; learn-to-swim for adults; youth swim teams; adult swim teams; special needs aquatic programs; aquatic exercise programs; leisure swim time; lap swimming; water safety programs; and lifeguard training.
Aquatic respondents from schools were more likely than others to provide school or collegiate swim teams, swim meets and competitions and diving programs or diving teams. Aquatic respondents from health clubs were the most likely to provide aqua-therapy, and those from colleges were the most likely to host water polo programs.
Some 21.9% of aquatic respondents said they were planning to add additional aquatic programs at their facilities over the next few years, down slightly from 23% in 2020, but still up over 2019, when 19.8% had such plans.
Respondents from rec centers were the most likely to be planning to add aquatic programs at their facilities. Some 34% of rec center respondents with aquatics said they would be adding aquatic programs. They were followed by Ys (27.5%) and parks (22.1%). Fewer respondents from schools (21.4%), colleges (21.2%), camps (19.4%) and health clubs (18.2%) said they had such plans.
The 10 most commonly planned aquatic program additions include:
- Special needs aquatic programs (planned by 33.7% of those who will be adding programs)
- Aquatic exercise programs (20.5%)
- Learn-to-swim for children (16.3%)
- Learn-to-swim for adults (16.3%)
- Water safety programs (16.3%)
- Aqua-therapy programs (15.7%)
- Lifeguard training (15.1%)
- Adult swim teams (14.5%)
- Youth swim teams (12%)
- Water polo (10.2%)
As in 2020, aquatic respondents from rec centers were the most likely to be planning to add most types of programs, including: youth swim teams; adult swim teams; aquatic exercise programs; leisure swim; swim meets and competitions; water safety programs; water polo; and lifeguard training.
Aquatic respondents from Ys were the most likely to be planning to add school or collegiate swim teams, as well as special needs programs. Aquatic respondents from health clubs were the most likely to be planning to add aqua-therapy and diving programs. Those from schools were the most likely to be planning to add learn-to-swim for children, while parks were the most likely to be planning to add learn-to-swim for adults. Finally, camps were the most likely to be planning to add lap swimming.
Aquatic Facility Construction & Features
Respondents to the Industry Report Survey with aquatic elements in their facilities were slightly more likely than those without aquatics to report that they have plans for construction over the next several years. Some 65.5% of aquatic respondents said they are planning construction (down from 76.2% in 2020). This compares with 64.1% of non-aquatic respondents.
Aquatic respondents were more likely to be planning all types of construction than non-aquatic respondents. More than half (51.5%) of aquatic respondents were planning renovations, 28.9% were planning additions, and 27.7% were planning new construction. This compares with 45.4% of non-aquatic respondents planning renovations, 28.6% planning additions and 26.3% planning new construction. (See Figure 41.)
Aquatic respondents were planning to spend 14.4% more on their construction plans than non-aquatic respondents in 2021. That said, from 2020 to 2021, aquatic respondents' construction spending dropped by a much more significant amount than non-aquatic respondents. Aquatic respondents in 2021 were planning to spend $5,500,000 on their construction, 15.5% less than in 2020, when they were planning to spend $6,510,000. This compares with $4,710,000 planned for construction by non-aquatic respondents in 2021, just a 3.1% decrease from 2020, when they were planning to spend $4,570,000 on their construction plans.
The top 10 features covered by the survey that are most commonly found among aquatic respondents' facilities include:
- Automatic chemical feeders (found among 71.3% of aquatic respondents' facilities, down from 75.2% in 2020)
- Pool lifts and accessibility equipment (70.3%, down from 71.8%)
- Diving boards (41.6%, down from 43.8%)
- Zero-depth entry (38.2%, down from 45.5%)
- Waterslides (35.5%, down from 40.6%)
- Water play structures (32.2%)
- Splash pads (27.1%, down from 32.2%)
- UV disinfection systems (23%, down from 27.2%)
- Variable speed pumps (22.2%, up from 21.4%)
- Pool inflatables (15.6%, not measured before 2021)
Aquatic respondents from park facilities were more likely than others to include: zero-depth entry, lazy rivers, waterslides, water play structures, poolside cabanas, splash pads, surf machines, wave pools and poolside climbing walls.
Aquatic respondents from rec centers were more likely than others to feature ozone disinfection, variable frequency drives, and AOP disinfection systems.
Aquatic respondents from Ys were more likely than others to include UV disinfection systems, and pool lifts and accessibility equipment.
Aquatic respondents from schools were more likely than others to feature diving boards and variable speed pumps.
Aquatic respondents from health clubs were the most likely to feature automatic chemical feeders, as well as saline chlorination at their facilities.
Finally, aquatic respondents from camps were the most likely to have solar pool heating or pool inflatables.
Nearly a quarter (22.2%) of aquatic respondents said they had plans to add features to their aquatic facilities over the next several years, down from 26.8% who had such plans in 2020. Aquatic respondents from rec centers were the most likely to have such plans. Some 40.4% of aquatic respondents from rec centers said they would be adding features at their facilities. They were followed by camps (36.1%), health clubs (31.8%) and Ys (25.3%). More than one-fifth of park respondents (20.6%) also said they would be adding features to their aquatic facilities. Schools (10.7%) and colleges (8.8%) were the least likely to be planning to add features at their aquatic facilities over the next several years.
The most commonly planned addition in 2021 was splash pads. Some 27.4% of aquatic respondents with plans to add features at their facilities said they would be adding splash pads, down from 33.3% in 2020. In addition, 22.6% were planning to add UV disinfection, 22% were planning water play structures, 19% were planning zero-depth entry, and 18.5% were planning to add poolside climbing walls. (See Figure 42.)
Aquatic respondents from camps were the most likely to be planning to add more different types of features than other respondents. This includes: zero-depth entry, lazy rivers, water play structures, automatic chemical feeders, solar pool heating, pool lifts and accessibility equipment, poolside cabanas, splash pads, variable speed pumps, variable frequency drives, and poolside climbing walls.
Rec center respondents with aquatics were more likely than others to be planning to add waterslides, saline systems, wave pools, AOP systems and pool inflatables.
Aquatic respondents from health clubs were more likely than others to be planning to add UV disinfection, diving boards and ozone systems.
Finally, aquatic respondents from parks were more likely than others to be planning to add surf machines. RM