Belmont Pool Party Attracts Teens

By Olivia Wasilko and Jonathan Weaver

More than two dozen local teenagers had a way to beat the Summer heat Friday evening: swimming at the Belmont Complex pool.

Director Gary Montebell said a pool party that began at 6PM Friday was the first of six this Summer in an effort to try and spur membership.

“To get more interest and to get more kids here on a Friday night, provide a safe environment for everybody. It’s a rain-or-shine event, so if the pool’s not open at that point we’re going to move everything up into the banquet room and the arena.

We’ve been getting phone calls all day.”

Teenagers through the approximate age of 16 years old swam until about 8PM before dancing to the beats of local DJ Steve Heffner until 10PM.

Belmont officials also gave away an iPad Mini and a $300 gift card for Wal-Mart for an iPhone at Friday night’s party, Montebell explained.

“Everyone that comes in gets entered into the raffle. Throughout the six weeks, we’re going to be giving away prizes at each dance,” Montebell explained. “So, if you’re here tonight, and you show up to the next four dances, you get entered in each time. But you have to be here to claim your prize.”

Pool parties will be held the final Friday in June and in July, except for July 1 before the Fourth of July holiday.

Entrance for members is $3 and for non-members is $5.

Teenagers were kept safe in the 16,500 square foot pool and at the dance by Belmont lifeguards, Armstrong GPS Security and reportedly the new Sheriff’s Department K-9, Blak, and Detective Theresa Gipson.

Heffner has been DJing for about 40 years, and enjoyed watching the teens have a safe, fun experience. His music selections were based on the youth reaction.

“This is a night just to get young folks out and have a good time. I just look out to see how the audience is reacting and work off of them.”

Ticket booth officials said 30 teenagers bought a ticket to stay for swimming and dancing in the first half-hour.

“There are already more people than we expected,” one mentioned. “We’re trying to get numbers up for the summer. And the weather definitely helps – you can plan as much as you want, but if you don’t have nice weather…

“Normally at this time, you get a few straglers coming in, but there are definitely a lot more people coming in. I see us get a lot of teens Friday or Saturday night (during ice hockey season), but in the summer, it doesn’t seem like we get (as many), so events like this really draw them in.”

Entrants utilized wristbands left over from a previous St. Patrick’s Day hockey tournament.

Lorelei Smathers is a member of the Belmont Complex while her 11-year-old daughter, Ava, was at swim team practice and her 18-year-old son, Glenn, was lifeguarding.

Smathers’ older daughter, Claire, also used to lifeguard at the Belmont Complex.

“The water temperature is perfect. They have a new heater and it’s perfect. Spot-on.”

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