UPDATE: I got a response to my letter to the council (see at the bottom of this post). The lovely lady has told me that all I need to do is tell the staff that I am going to do the 10.30am session of Aqua and to let them know that I need the creche staff to stay till 11.45am to allow me to finish my class. I have thanked her and have not yet tried this, will do for the Wednesday class. I have also let them know that the average customer would not know to ask this as they would expect childcare to cover the session of the fitness class. Reasonable really.

I want to go to the pool to do an aqua fitness class. This class is at 10.30 and lasts an hour. So would end at 11.30. Ages ago I found out that the pool in their stupid wisdom cancelled the crèche for the time that I needed to be at my favourite class. I was so annoyed that I wrote a post about it then, this change to my fitness schedule had me tears. Why cancel something that allows people to use your services!

Other ladies that I have met have been saying that the crèche is open now at this time. I called the pool out of curiosity as I desperately wanted to go to the pool to exercise again. I asked if they had childcare for their 10.30 fitness classes. She said yes, although I would have to be back at 11.15 to pick the kids up as this is when the care ends for the kids.

So let me get this straight. The fitness centre is offering classes at 10.30, the childcare does not cover the whole class and of course after working out you would need a shower and change of clothes and this adds to the time allowed for childcare. I would never be able to fit it all in, and definitely be over the pickup time of 11.15.

 

Why would I want to pay for a full class not to get a full class? And as stated, I would have to leave even earlier to make sure I showered and changed and got to the crèche in time for picking up the girls. Outrageous isn’t it. Maybe another centre on the mountain can accommodate?

• Blackheath Pool does not state that they have childcare options
• Springwood Pool has closed the crèche until the 3^rd of May for refurbishment (also don’t want to drive that far – would rather be closer to home)
• Lawson and Glenbrook on the website does not look like they have a crèche. (This gets too far to drive as well, would rather stay closer and go to Katoomba.)

As a business that is there to of course provide a service to the public but mainly make money, this is going against their mission. Closing off an audience that would use your services and products is not wise in my book. What are your thoughts?

Is it just me or this not acceptable?  If I had more options on care I would go to the gym all week or at least more often than not going. I do want to tone up and lose more weight, but this is not helping.

Are you in the same boat as a mother/parent? Do you live in the Blue Mountains and faced this issue?  Please fill out our poll on the right hand side of the site. Interested to see how the many numbers we get.

Why not continue the discussion on our Twitter or Facebook pages.

PS. Have rung the council and the man on the phone agrees with me. Why have part childcare that does not cover the class. Will do as suggested and send in an email to them. Will see where that goes and if it gets any action.

I have written my email to the council – see below:

17th April 2013
Attention: The General Manager

I wold like to attend the Katoomba Pool and do their fitness classes that are at 10.30am during the week day. To do this I need to have childcare. This issue arises around when the childcare ends, which I have been told is 11.15am. This would mean that I would need to cut my lesson short and then get ready to pick up my twins from the crèche.

I am not happy with this alternative as I was aiming at making a change and wanting to exercise more. As a full time parent to twin four year olds it is impossible to do this when there is school holidays and if not for school holidays if the lesson falls on a day that the kids are not in pre-school then I cannot do the class. I have no help or family so if I don’t look after the kids they are not cared for.

Why would you not have care for all available classes that are at the centre? If a class starts at 10.30am then the childcare should at least got to 11.45 so that a reasonable person will be able to shower and change and get ready to collect their children.

I am annoyed and angry that your centre is discriminating against mothers and parents that have child care responsibilities. This group of people really want to use your service as well and should be allowed to do so. Carers of kids need a break and what better way than exercise. Exercise helps with making you feel better about yourself and of course has the added benefit of keeping you fit and healthy. Why not tap into the niche market of parents who want to tone up and make sure to have care for the kids so they can use your services.  I thought you were a business also and if so you would think that if you do this right, you will get repeat business and people signing up for more membership. The easier it is to access the services, more times the person will come back and of course promote your business to others – word of mouth is a powerful tool.

I really wanted to do an aqua fitness class this morning but as it is school holidays I will not be paying to have a short lesson, you may as well not bother.

Last year on the 4^th of Jan I learnt that in your wisdom you cancelled the late session of the crèche which is the 10.30 session that would allow me and others to participate in classes at the Katoomba Centre. I know find out that it is back in a half arsed way – why don’t you have care for the full time of the class that is on offer not just part of it. I am sure if you were presented with this option you would say no and not go either.

I blog and have written about both experiences. https://mummytotwinsplusone.com/4-years-and-beyond/creche-for-part-of-fitness-class-i-dont-think-so  and the older one from last year https://mummytotwinsplusone.com/feeling-frumpy/no-more-pool I hope that you see to fix this silly decision of not to having adequate child care facilities for all of the fitness classes, this service is a way to make sure you get more business, allow mothers and other parents have the ability to get fit, lose weight and have some much needed time out.  Don’t promote your services locally when you are making sure a part of the community cannot use your services due to a lack of child care available.

I want this to be fixed so that I will soon have the option to go to the class I want to go, not to be discriminated against.  If it is a matter of cost, how about offering job sharing? This is a cost that can be factored into the business to generate more business. Once you let everyone know about the childcare at the centre I am sure that more people will come and sign up for classes. If I was assured childcare I would become a member rather than purchasing 10 pass tickets. The 10 pass tickets give me the flexibility as if I was a member when would I use the service if I cannot do the class I wish to do, with no care I cannot do anything.

Please fix this as I am keen to do an aqua class during the week.

Suzanne Robinson
www.mummytotwins.com