September 18, 2025: Women in the Surf Park industry

Happy, er, Thursday?

ICYMI: we've moved this weekly newsletter from Fridays to Wednesdays permanently as of yesterday. (Our last newsletter was sent on Friday, September 5, and our next newsletter will be sent on Wednesday, September 24.) I'm sending this week's newsletter on Thursday because I spent most of yesterday not realizing it was Wednesday.

We're mixing it up this week and going straight to the news - my op ed is below.

Deadly Surfside condo collapse likely started from pool deck, officials find
Confirming a rumor many of us have heard in the industry for years, not unlike the root cause of the Elliot Lake Mall disaster.

Barrhead swim club asks for exclusive pool time as membership surges
It's impossible to adjudicate this objectively without an explicit pool space allocation policy written - and approved by senior leadership - well in advance of user petitions like this.

Emotional support alligator is no longer welcome in Pennsylvania Walmart
My local facility in Alberta was in a bind a few years ago when an emotional support PIG showed up on the pool deck. As funny as both of those stories are, if you don't have a clear definition of emotional support animal and/or facility companion policy, this could be you.

Virdee and Great Wolf Lodge Complete Rollout of Digital Check-In Kiosks
I saw kiosk-dispensing wristbands showcased at WWA & IAAPA last year. I also tried one out for myself at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas and they will be a GAMECHANGER for recreation & aquatics, truly. It's not about eliminating staff or going AI for everything, it's about providing different service choices for those customers who feel comfortable - or even prefer - to DIY. This is no different from banking with a teller vs. ATM or checking in at the airport with an agent vs. kiosk.

How Pickleball Took Over Thousands of Tennis Courts, as Seen From the Sky
Yes, this is not aquatic-related, but I share it because there continues to be so much we can learn from the interest in pickleball as a model for getting higher rates of participation in fitness & recreation.

This Canadian company is riding the wave of the global surf park boom

Boy, 7, dragged to bottom of Pasir Ris condo pool for 5 mins allegedly by 'suction force', admitted to ICU
This appears to be a non-fatal suction entrapment. If you are new here, entrapment is a huge topic of professional interest for me. I personally feel the industry has become complacent, thinking the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGBA) permanently "solved" this matter when the reality is far from it. We have several videos about the 2024 Houston entrapment on the YouTube channel.

TOSHA opens investigation into Sevierville lifeguard’s drowning
I will be watching this incident closely for more details. ICYMI, I have a whole presentation regarding lifeguard fatalities on the job.

Uber sued by DOJ for alleged discrimination against disabled riders
When we hosted the webinar with Kathleen Forestell, our blind presenter in 2021, she talked about routinely having issues with rideshare drivers refusing to take "animals," i.e. her guide dog when she is legally blind. I don't doubt this issue is rife across services.

Family of teens who drowned in N.J. school’s pool reject $14M settlement offer
This is the case where you can see surveillance footage on YouTube of the sole lifeguard wandering away from their position on the pool out into the dry hallway while the pool is in use by the school group. I'm not linking to it because while I 100% believe that's improper behaviour by a lifeguard meant to be scanning the pool, the lifeguard is a real person, too, and I prefer to wait for the facts of the case to be disclosed. We don't know what else was going on outside of the video frame, or before/after the video selection provided to the media by the family's lawyers.

‘It’s my second home!’ Gen Z and the sudden, surprising boom of luxury gyms
Many of the pool projects we're currently working on mimic this trend and will be luxury experiences.

Architects protest demolition of historic swimming pool in Gothenburg, Sweden
Protests have occurred to try and save this facility.

Family of teens shot at Douglass Park pool sue former lifeguard, Chicago Park District
I've avoided covering this st0ry because it appeared the person who allegedly committed the crime just happened to be a lifeguard near their place of work. However, new reports suggest he was aggressive at work in the weeks leading up to the incident, so this may end up becoming a workplace violence story.

Above-ground pool rental company makes a splash
Very unique concept! They also recently launched a backyard dive in movie package, complete with inflatable screen.

Theme park spending down 5% during ‘lackluster’ summer, report says
I will be curious to know if any aquatic facilities noticed a decline in attendance or revenue this summer? If so, please hit reply to this email and let me know.

Galveston EMS faces scrutiny over 20+ minute delay after two officers nearly drowned in training at Schlitterbahn
"GMPA stated that the Galveston EMS didn’t immediately leave the scene after arriving, as an EMT needed to train another EMT on how to enter information into the computer system."

Child critically injured after near-drowning at West Side Airbnb, SAPD says
Airbnb knew exactly what they were doing (i.e. there is a clear need for this) when they recently implemented their water safety feature for properties with water.

Tragedy in Riyadh: Toddler son of Saudi Snapchat influencers drowns in swimming pool

Council cuts: a tale of two leisure centres
This article does a very nice job explaining to non-municipal employees how different budgets may have different funding sources.

‘Toe touchers’ are plaguing UK swimming pools — but some say it’s ‘standard’
The City of Coquitlam, BC did an excellent PSA video a few years ago about aquatic facility etiquette, including lane speed, but it's news to many users who don't have a competitive swimming background.

World’s tallest hotel with 1,000 rooms and highest rooftop swimming pool to open this year

The Most Famous Pool in Plano
It's on the National Register of Historic Places and shaped like the state of Texas.

BC Parks & Recreation Association (BCRPA) Biennial Ripple Effects Conference
This aquatic-specific conference is both in-person in Vancouver, BC and has a hybrid/virtual attendance option. Early bird registration ends October 23.

In most cases, as a white Canadian who grew up with many opportunities, I don't feel qualified to wade into debates about accessibility and equity. The surf park industry (think outdoor pools with surf action, far away from coastlines) is a rapidly growing segment of the aquatic/swimming pool industry. As such, there's a growing number of events and annual conferences.

I recently received the agenda for this upcoming multi-day event and was disappointed to see there are no women speaking, and possibly only one person of color. Yes, the speakers are geographically quite diverse (Australians, Brazilians, Pacific Islander, South Africans, Portuguese, etc.) which I understand to be representative of the surf community as a whole. But this is definitely one of the few times in my career where I genuinely wonder how many female surfer/user perspectives are being considered or incorporated into design, business & operational decisions?

Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.