Since the pool opened, Chatterley said the hours of operation have had to be adjusted slightly because of the number of visitors. For example, the first open session runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., then the pool is cleared from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., when the second session begins. Chatterley said this was done to modify the “bathing load” as the pool’s filtering system was having difficulty keeping up with the amount of people using the pool. Chatterley said it is important for people to shower before entering the pool. There are showers and locker rooms at the center. “A shower takes a lot of the oils and lotions off (people’s skin) and keeps the pool clean,” he said. “If you go right in, the pool clears them all off, but it makes the filtering process more difficult.” The center opens Monday through Friday at 6 a.m. for adult lap swim, then another session from 8 to 10 a.m. is reserved for seniors, adult exercise and water aerobics. Chatterley said the recreation department will develop additional water aerobics programs in the future. At 10 a.m., open sessions begin with the first from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the second from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and the final session starting at 5:30 p.m., with the pool cleared at 7:15 p.m. and closed at 7:30 p.m. The pool is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the pool cleared at 7:15 p.m. during the final session. The center is closed Sundays but is available for private rentals. The aquatic center is a “multi-use” facility, with one section designated for lap swimming on the south end, the “splash tank” on the west end that will ultimately be used for the slide, a wading area on the northeast corner for younger children, and a “vortex pool” toward the center. There is a section of the pool that features water jets and another section in which people may play water volleyball or basketball. The “party room” has a concessions stand, but is also available for private parties. Admission to the pool is $3 per person per session. A 20-visit, transferable punch pass is available for $50. Family membership passes for three to six patrons are $65 for one month, $185 for three months, $385 for six months and $760 for one year. For adults 18 to 61 years old, a one-month individual membership pass is $25, a three-month pass is $70, a six-month pass is $145 and a one-year pass is $290. For students 5 to 17 years old and seniors 62 years and older, individual membership passes are $20 for one month, $55 for three months, $110 for six months and $215 for one year. The “party room” is available for families who wish to hold a child’s birthday party or other event for up to 20 people. The fee is $80 for members and $100 for non-members for two hours, then $50 for members and $70 for non-members for each additional hour, and an additional $2 for each person above 20 swimmers. A $50 refundable deposit is required, due at the time of the reservation. As to those things that are still being brought up to standard, Chatterley said the diving board railing is “four inches lower than codes” the state Environment Department has set, but that the city is seeking a variance. He said two other pools constructed in the state “in the last two years” have boards with 38-inch railings, which the board in the Raton pool has, and those pools got variances, and that it is tough to find a manufacturer who will create a board with a 42-inch rail. As for the slide, Chatterley said the issue is that people using the slide will enter “directly at the water level” when they reach the bottom and codes require the bottom of the slide be 30 feet from any obstacle. The stairs that lead to the “splash tank” are 22 feet away from the slide, so Chatterley said the options are to get a variance, modify the slide to reduce the velocity at which people come down, or modify the bottom of the slide so riders come out a few inches above the water and drop directly into the pool.