City of Laramie Parks and Recreation

This place has consistently disappointed me. More than half the time I bring my kids to swim here, I’m turned away because their pool is at capacity. One time I called ahead to make sure it was open before we loaded up all of our stuff (quite a chore with littles) and went there. I didn’t want to get there and be turned away after we did all the work to go. The individual on the phone was incredibly rude saying with extreme sass “our website says we’re open, so we are.” Not to mention their website is not clear cut on open swim times and has been wrong before. Sometimes we get put on a waitlist, during which time we have no idea how long it could be. They do not keep good track of the capacity in order to let new people in, they’re lackadaisical about it and don’t seem to care or understand how disappointing it is for little kids to have to wait for the pool and not know how long they’ll wait. The only time we actually got in after being on the waitlist was when I repeatedly asked them to call the lifeguards as I saw people walking out with towels and wet hair. Had I not asked them to call, who knows how long we would have kept waiting. I do feel bad for the employees who have to relay the bad information to frustrated mothers like me.

I called to see if the hot tub was open since there is leisure pool construction and was told yes. I showed up and there was a sign on the front door that said hot tub was out of order. I went in just to make sure, since I already got a yes and was told by the front desk staff that it was working. In fact she even said a couple people had just went in and confirmed. After getting my suit on I went to the door to the pool and there wasn't even any water in the hot tub and it was chained off. This is a level of incompetence that baffles me. I've been paying for a family membership to support the center even though we minimally use it, but I'm calling and canceling it on Monday. I can't support this 'customer service'.

The hot tub has been closed for months. Each time I call, I'm told it will open "next week". This has become a heartless game between the Rec Center overlords and we peasants who don't have hot tubs of our own. Rec Center Overlords, hear this, amongst the peasantry are skilled tradesmen who can heal the hot tub! Call upon us and restore this therapeutic option for the grubby masses, we beg of you. We're so very cold and stiff (much like the dead bodies we're quickly becoming). The hot tub gives us hope. The Laramie Rec Center is perfectly lovely excepting the lack of a hot tub and the filthy lies regularly told about its restoration.

This facility is a joke. I've lived here for 5 years and only been able to to swim 3 time out of the hand full of times we've been there. And both time were a hassle being told the pool was open and having to wait or it not even being open at the time and being told after we paid and got changed that we'd have to come back hours later. And the other time we came the facility pool with super dirty and the slide are never opened. I don't think they understand how disappointing it is for the children to show up to the pool only to be waiting or turned away. And when you call ahead it's hard pressed to get anyone on the phone having to call multiple times, and when you do the staff can be extremely rude telling me to check the website, that isn't exactly phone friendly. They don't seem to care unless you have a membership as they seem to get all the benefits, as they get fist dibs on everything. I've tried multiple times to book swim lessons and they are always booked full, even when I called on the date they opened reservation. It doesn't seem like they care on improving their customer service or facility to be more family friendly, or reliable. As it doesn't even look like they look at their reviews. It's extremely disappointing as this is one of the only things to do in Laramie. I'd say you're better off driving the hour to Cheyenne or fort Collins.

Overall, a very nice facility! I do however, have some valid constructive comments which can be easily addressed. 1) too many young people sit on the equipment on their phones as if they are lounging at home. 2) the noise generated (excessive loud yelling/screaming) by those playing in the gym is extremely intrusive and deafening! 3) often hear F bombs going off? 4) some equipment needs fixed more promptly 5) the closing alarm was extremely loud! I am concerned, especially for younger children’s hearing! 6) a few staff are rude and forget that taxpayers and patrons pay their wage? As a former Marine and Educator, I realize that courtesy is lacking in our society as a whole. But, it’s a shared/public facility? These issues should and can be remedied. If management would like to discuss these concerns, I’ll be available.