Westchase To Charge For Large Groups and Parties at Community Pools

Planning to throw a party at either one of the Westchase pools any time soon?

It will cost you $50, and you will have to book it in advance. 

(WCA) voted on new pool deck party regulations at the board meeting in early June. The vote came after complaints that pool parties had become a problem in the neighborhood.

But some Westchase residents don't agree with the new rules.

The two pool facilities, located at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard and the West Park Swim and Tennis Center on Parley Drive, are available for use by Westchase residents with a limit of four guests per household. 

However some residents have been arriving with more than four guests, said Kelly Shires, Westchase Swim and Tennis Center operations manager.

“Due to the recent unexpected and unannounced party groups overtaking the pool deck, we are not properly staffed," Shires said. "Our duty of life-guarding is to ensure the safety of the residents, guests, and to enforce the rules and policies of the pool."

"The new pool deck policy will assist management in the proper staffing of the pool by reserving the pool deck in advance," he said.

Any party exceeding one family and their four guests is required to comply to the new reservation party deck guidelines.

That means residents must now inform the facility management of the planned group or gathering at least 48 hours in advance and pay a $50 non-refundable reservation fee at time of booking. The fee is to cover expenses for any additional staff needed during parties and events.

In order to comply with safety measures, a lifeguard must be on the stand for every 25 swimmers. There are always two guards on duty at each pool, which has a maximum capacity of 92 people. 

“Our first priority is the safety of our residents and guests,” said Dyan Pithers, WCA vice-president.

Parties and events can be booked for a maximum of 30 people - including children and adults - and for a time limit of two hours. 

“We set the time limit to two hours to ensure that other Westchase residents would be able to enjoy the pool with their family without an all day party event that they are not part of,” Shires said. 

Westchase resident Louis Wang is not in favor of the new pool guidelines.

Wang, who lives in Glenfield, has two children, ages 8 and 5 years old. He has a big family that often visits from out of town. They frequent Westchase's pools.

Wang said he hasn't noticed a problem with big groups at the pools, adding that residents should be able to enjoy the pool facilities at their maximum without having to pay any extra fee. 

“What am I going to tell them (my family)?," he said on a recent day. "In the middle of the summer, I am not going to take them to the pool?"

He views the WCA board decision as a way “to milk the cow even more,” since residents already have to pay for homeowner association and community development district fees.

“In Westchase, they are always trying to create new regulations they don’t need,” Wang said. 

To reserve your next large group at the pool, print and fill out the reservation form provided on the WCA website and bring it to the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center office at 10405 Countryway Blvd. 

The reservation fee must be paid at time of booking via credit card, check or money order payable to Westchase Community Association, Inc. Cash will not be accepted.