Editor’s note: This column appears in the summer Laketown Township newsletter which should be arriving in your mailbox this week.
Have you been to your newly expanded and renovated Holland Aquatic Center? It’s a busy place that is open year-round and seven days a week for every age, every family, every day!
Over 350,000 people visited the aquatic center in the last year, and many are excited with the transformation your tax dollars have provided to support instructional, competitive, and community recreation and wellness for our next generations. The aquatic center now includes nine pools for all ages and aquatics activities, a spacious new fitness equipment area, 1/10th mile indoor walking track, a splash zone and a warm zone.
HAC is focused on making sure children and adults learn to be safe and confident in the water. Over 5,000 children from the Holland area have participated in swimming lessons at the aquatic center during this past year. Approximately 3,500 of those children received free swim lessons as a result of the HAC operational millage provided by tax dollars from residents within the Holland Public School District.
Our aquatic center is now considered to be a national leader for competitive swimming and diving with a natatorium that includes a 50-meter competition pool, a new 25-yard practice pool, and room for over 900 spectators. Both the MIAA (Hope College) and GLIAC (GVSU/Davenport) will be hosting some of their meets and conference finals at the aquatic center. Nationally recognized, Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics Swim, Dive and Master’s Club Teams continue to host large events drawing many athletes and visitors throughout the year. This competitive complex also allows our area high school and middle school teams to share and utilize world-class competitive aquatics and avoid the costs associated with maintaining swimming pools on school properties.
HAC offers a Resident Appreciation Day each month that allows residents paying for operational taxes to attend all daily activities for free one day each month. The next Resident Appreciation Days are Thursday, Aug. 17, and Thursday, Sept. 21.
Check out the website, www.hollandaquatic.org to learn more.
Amanda Duimstra is general manager of the Holland Aquatic Center. Jack Huisingh is executive director of the Holland Aquatic Center. Sara Giesler is the Laketown Township representative on the Holland Aquatic Center board.