Aaf Rose Bowl Aquatics Ctr

I thought I would start swimming again as a way to relax and unwind. I am so disappointed!!! This place is a giant free-for-all, overrun with children, screaming children, and LOTS of them. I can only imagine what is going on under the surface of the water I shared with them. The first thing I saw when I pulled up at 10:00 a.m. (I thought I was going early enough to avoid the afternoon crowds, but late enough to avoid the early-morning crowds) was a giant yellow school bus :-( I should've listened to my gut and turned immediately around. Instead I went inside. I shared a lane with another (equally disgusted) person and all I can say is I will never go back at this time again during the summer months. This is NO PLACE TO GO if you are looking for a quiet, serene swim experience. more

If you are a serious lap swimmer and want a place to do some serious lap swimming beware as you are in for a surprise. During the winter months when it is cold, overcast and raining you will have no problems at all! You might even have a lane to yourself. But if you expect that same atmosphere year round you are in for a surprise. During the summer months there are programs galore. Programs for kids, lot's of kids, diving programs, meets, babies. Kids are bused in from what appears to be East LA. All serious lap swimmers are now pushed out even though you've paid your steep dues. Yep. You are now out of a place to do laps. Also, men bring their little girls into the men's locker room while everyone is standing around naked and trying to shower in the open communal shower room. Little boys and girls are allowed to study the naked men right there in the communal shower room. Bringing this to the attention of management will do NOTHING! Screaming kids, snow cones and now a cafe, kids running all over the place including the locker rooms isn't what I bargained for when I paid my 6 months dues in advance. So, with all of this in mind, I suggest you expect only to do laps, serious laps between October 1st through April 31st. After that, you better find something else. Good luck. more

I have taken water aerobics at the Rose Bowl for 4 years, 1-3 times weekly. Convenience to my home, night classes, and the ability to pay per month with no initiation, stop, or start up fees kept me going and may still unless I can find an alternative that works. Positives: the view from the pool is beautiful, the parking is easy ,and there are night and weekend classes for working people. During the winter especially it is not too crowded. There is a certain camraderie among those who continue to use the pool amidst some of the negatives described below. \r \r Drawbacks: the management ranges from adequate to poor. There is no adequate system to notify when classes are cancelled. With the exception of Tracy (and Wendy who is now teaching a lighter load at noon and Sarah on Sundays), the teaching is problematic. Some instructors do not include a warm-up nor seem to follow an aerobic or any other kind of plan (pacing, etc.); not modeling the steps on deck makes class almost pointless. Class numbers dwindle in these sessions as newcomers feel frustrated and disappointed. If you are a newcomer, try to come during the times one of three teachers mentioned above is teaching to get a sense of the proper positioning and steps. \r \r The cleanliness of the locker room is questionable and hard to stomach with chunks of the wall missing and disgusting layers of grime gathered on the pipes in the ceiling. On some days the facilities are simply filthy with hair accumlated in the shower and dirty toilets.\r \r The lifeguarding at the pool is also uneven. Swimmers have served as de facto lifeguards depending on which lifeguards are on duty. Some lifeguards are serious and watchful. Summer camp jams many children into the shallow end. Parents should consider visiting on a busy day to see if there appear to be enough alert lifeguards before enrolling children in these programs.\r \r There is a lot of potential in this facility but it never seems fully realized. more

I was bored at work one day and wanted to do something different for my lunchbreak. My officemate suggested I go for a relaxing swim at the Aquatics Center. Once there, I was a bit surprised to find that it was $10 for the day. The shower facilities were large and spacious, and the pool was the perfect temperature to do laps. I decided to take a break from exercise and relax in their smaller, warmer pool. Unfortunately, it was so packed with kids and families, the water was a bit cloudy. I'd definitely go back for exercise and am thinking about becoming a member here. Pros: clean, warm olympic-sized lap pool Cons: so-so smaller pool more