Shoreline, Changing Rooms

Two Boys

I was in Shoreline yesterday for a swim with my 2 little boys.
Disappointed to see it is no longer OK to change boys in the female chaning rooms! Didn't see the notice on the door but a very fortright woman came up and told me off in front of the boys, I think she wanted to me to get out of the room there and then as I struggled to get them ready for a swim!!
I know there are 3 Family Changing rooms, but honestly are these ever free??
We had to Q after our swim to get a family room, one man eventually vacated one, himself and his one son??
When I said it to the staff they clearly didn't want to know, pretty sure others have mentioned it too.
Going to make bringing kids swimming alot more stressful
Thoughts??

Matt Le Tissue

It is a pain in the arse. They only have 3 rooms for famillies and they dont enforce the "Dont leave belongings in the changing rooms" either.
The only way to deal with this is to complain loudly and often. The reason the rules were changed is because a woman complained about boys in the womens changing room.

Two Boys

Honestly, my boys are 4 and 2, are people really offended by seeing them in the nip?
I also suggested they make a few more family rooms, convert some of the small cubicles? wouldn't be a big job, but they didn't want to know.
I will say it again, but I fear it will fall on deaf ears....

Rasmus

For the record, I think the woman who thinks you shouldn't share a cubicle and help your 4 yr old and 2 yr old get ready is RIDICULOUS. If the family rooms are taken (and there is only 2 or 3 right?), you are hardly going to send your toddler off to prepare for a swim himself, or assign the responsibility to the 4 yr old!

Minka

Had the same problem back in the day when Jackie Skelly's was still open, a woman objected to my 2yr old toddler in the changing rooms with me.....c'mon, if someone is offended by a toddler of the opposite sex they have "issues" imo.....ridiculous!

Sparks115

I would get as many members as I knew and get them to write in and complain. That is disgraceful, I have a 5 year old boy and 1 year old girl what do they suggest I do if I went swimming?? Think they need a few phone calls from disgruntled customers.

Cormic

To give you the opposite side of the story.

I was in the mens changing rooms a couple of months ago after going to the Gym. There was a man with his three daughters. They were aged approx. 4 to 8. I had to say I was incredibly uncomfortable about me getting changed in front of them. They were in the shower together so I had to forgo my own shower to avoid showering next to them as there are no divides in the mens shower area.

Jimjay

I think the rule is fair. I dont think you should be having a go at the staff for not allowing mixed families in a communal 'single sex' changing room. If you should be complaining it should be to get more family size changing cubicles added.

smellytinker

I've been ignoring that sign for the last few weeks with my 3 year old and will continue to, it's just impractical to expect a child to wait shivering after a swim for a family room.

Two Boys

Cormic wrote: »

To give you the opposite side of the story.

I was in the mens changing rooms a couple of months ago after going to the Gym. There was a man with his three daughters. They were aged approx. 4 to 8. I had to say I was incredibly uncomfortable about me getting changed in front of them. They were in the shower together so I had to forgo my own shower to avoid showering next to them as there are no divides in the mens shower area.

I understand that would be very uncomfortable, and I suppose we can't have one rule for Mums and another for Dad.
I did suggest that they should have more family rooms, that is teh real problem, if there were more there would be no issue, just 3 is not enough, also people with one child (particularly if that child is same sex) need to be more considerate and not use teh family rooms.

patrickpc

Two Boys wrote: »

I understand that would be very uncomfortable, and I suppose we can't have one rule for Mums and another for Dad.
I did suggest that they should have more family rooms, that is teh real problem, if there were more there would be no issue, just 3 is not enough, also people with one child (particularly if that child is same sex) need to be more considerate and not use teh family rooms.

As a parent with 2 toddlers I agree that there should be more family sized changing rooms. I was up there last night and did a quick stock take of the changing facilities.

Apart from the communal Men/Womens/School Boys/School Girls Only changing rooms there are 5 rows of changing rooms/stalls:

- 1 Row of 3 family size rooms.
- 2 Rows of 7 regular sized single stalls.
- 2 Rows of 7 small sized single stalls.

I reckon the situation could be easily resolved by doing the following.

1. Restrict the family sized rooms to families with 2 or more children.
2. Convert one of the rows of 7 Regular sized single stalls to 3 family sized rooms.

This would double the number of family rooms and stop people from getting upset at parents with 'only' one child taking advantage of the Family rooms. From experience the regular sized single stalls are just about big enough to handle 1 parent and 1 child.

I also noticed a suggestion box in the corridoor down to the changing rooms. Maybe voice your opinion next time you are in and see if we can get things improved.

Any comments?

Charlie-Bravo

+1 about suggestion box suggestion. Both the swimming pool and the sports park have the suggestions boxes just inside the door. Can't say anything will be done though as I previously suggested to get a baby swing in the playground at the sports park on a number of occasions and still nothing.

If someone has a problem with an adult bringing two kids into the communal changing rooms - don't complain to that person, complain to the staff at reception i.e. Hassle the staff so they better manage the Family rooms.

Two Boys

astrofluff wrote: »

+1 about suggestion box suggestion. Both the swimming pool and the sports park have the suggestions boxes just inside the door. Can't say anything will be done though as I previously suggested to get a baby swing in the playground at the sports park on a number of occasions and still nothing.

If someone has a problem with an adult bringing two kids into the communal changing rooms - don't complain to that person, complain to the staff at reception i.e. Hassle the staff so they better manage the Family rooms.

I did complain to the staff at the time, but they really did not want to know, they just were not listening. I guess it's a Manager I need to talk to.
There was no pen at the Suggestion box unfortunatley, will bring one next time

Charlie-Bravo

Hi Two Boys - what I meant is that the woman who complained to you should have brought it to reception. The staff aren't going to bother to do anything when its all over and done with afterwards!:(

What does the notice say exactly anyway - I'm gonna have this problem myself with my ankle biters when I go there next!

LEIN

They have good customer retention skills then. Once they have your money they couldn't care less what anyone has to say.

Cormic

Two Boys wrote: »

I understand that would be very uncomfortable, and I suppose we can't have one rule for Mums and another for Dad.
I did suggest that they should have more family rooms, that is teh real problem, if there were more there would be no issue, just 3 is not enough, also people with one child (particularly if that child is same sex) need to be more considerate and not use teh family rooms.

I suspect that the school changing rooms are not used outside of school hours. This might be the opportunity to re-purpose these to be family changing rooms when not used by schools.

Two Boys

astrofluff wrote: »

Hi Two Boys - what I meant is that the woman who complained to you should have brought it to reception. The staff aren't going to bother to do anything when its all over and done with afterwards!:(

What does the notice say exactly anyway - I'm gonna have this problem myself with my ankle biters when I go there next!

Sorry I misunderstood, I was just taken back when she started to practically order me out of teh room! esp in front of the kids, I just told her se were staying put for today and would look at teh notice next time.
It says Females Only in the Female changing rooms, or along those lines.

Charlie-Bravo

Two Boys wrote: »

It says Females Only in the Female changing rooms, or along those lines.

Bit of a silly sign but if your kids are under say 6, I wouldn't see what the problem is. And Yes I know, thats why there are family changing rooms - there's gonna be more than 3 families at each swim time. As Patrickpc suggested, if you do take out 7 single cubicles and put in 3 more family cubicles - it will certainly eliviate the stress at swim times. But will this cater for all events be it school swim, gala or otherwise??

Next time I'm in I'll pop a printed copy of this thread into the manager.

recedite

patrickpc wrote: »

I reckon the situation could be easily resolved by doing the following.

1. Restrict the family sized rooms to families with 2 or more children.
2. Convert one of the rows of 7 Regular sized single stalls to 3 family sized rooms.
Any comments?

Simple enough, but what about the single people who like to have a private box. You'd be inconveniencing them.

Cormic wrote: »

I suspect that the school changing rooms are not used outside of school hours. This might be the opportunity to re-purpose these to be family changing rooms when not used by schools.

I sometimes use the showers in there, when the other showers are full. Nothing to stop you getting changed in there too, but anyone could just walk in.

patrickpc

recedite wrote: »

Simple enough, but what about the single people who like to have a private box. You'd be inconveniencing them.

I sometimes use the showers in there, when the other showers are full. Nothing to stop you getting changed in there too, but anyone could just walk in.

I don't think it would be inconveniencing too many single people by converting 7 of the 28 single cubiclies into 3 family rooms. The net loss to the complex would only be 4 rooms in effect.

Just a couple of other suggestions I have for people with kids - take them or leave them but I find they help.

1. Try to have your kids ready for the pool before you arrive in the complex. Ours normally have their togs (and armbands!!) on which means it only takes a couple of minutes to get them in the pool after we get there thus preventing us queueing for/hogging a room. Sounds obvious but I don't think everyone does this.

2. Try to arrange your time of arrival / departure from the pool not to coincide with the top of the hour - this is when the family changing rooms are busiest. I know this may not always be possible but arriving 5/10 minutes later or leaving 5/10 minutes earlier may help avoid the frustration of queueing.

I also liked the suggestion of using the School children's rooms as an alternative, when available. I assume that the Schoolboys room would only be used by Men with kids and the Schoolgirls by Women with kids. This solution costs nothing and could start tomorrow so long as Shoreline have no objections.

Hope the above is of some help.

conlof

Good suggestions from Patrick PC. I do exactly that each morning I go swimming with my daughter. Traffic in the family rooms can be a little busy and I have never been there in the evening when I assume it is alot busier. So more family rooms please.
Personally I am very uncomfortable getting changed in front of children who are not my own. Particularily young females. So again more family rooms.

recedite

Before Shoreline was built, I used to sometimes go down to the Coral pool in Wicklow town for the lunchtime swim, 1-2pm, and swim a few lengths. They only have the two communal changing rooms there, men and women.
After getting out of the pool, the mens changing rooms would be full of schoolboys getting into their togs for the 2-3 pm lessons. So, the men would grab a towel from the locker, and go into the showers. Next thing, one or two of the mothers would walk in, brazen as anything, and stand there with arms folded. Apparently to stop any messing among the boys. :eek:

I presume this is why Shoreline pool has separate schools changing rooms.
Outside of schools hours they are empty though. But lets say you let fathers use one, eg. the boys changing room. You would still have fathers with sons being uncomfortable mixing with fathers with daughters, the whole thing gets ridiculous. Nobody really cares with toddlers in the communal area, but at some point or age its time to use a private family box, for 2 or 3 years, and then send them in to their own changing rooms.

FirstIn

Folks, I really can't fathom this at all.

If you are worried some kid is going to be looking at your bits and pieces then put a towel round yourself. Simple.

If you're on a beach you don't stand around changing in the raw. Nope. So don't do it in the gym.

If you want to have a shower just keep/or put on your swimwear.

We holiday in Spain, we use a beach which has open air showers. I don't strip off and stand there waving the ol' frightener round! Nope, I keep my togs on or wrap a towel round myself.

Hope this helps.

Cormic

FirstIn wrote: »

Hope this helps.

It does not really. But thanks for your input.