Frequently Asked Questions


1.  What swim wear is acceptable for a baby? 
                All non potty trained persons must wear The Swimsuit Diaper over a disposable diaper.
                Swimsuit diapers are available at the pool and Kids Northwest for $12. This is non negotiable, as a
                matter of maintaining a healthy pool. We do have a few loaners to help you out of a jam.
 
2.   Which toys are allowed in the pool? 
                Swim toys are always to be used at the discretion of the lifeguard. Some toys are never allowed. They
                include:   Oversized toys, tubes, rings, and floatation devices, Footballs, Frisbees, Nerf balls, and hard plastic 
                dive sticks.  Life jackets and water wings are ok. Bathing suits with built in flotation will be admitted at the 
                lifeguard’s discretion. Kids wearing acceptable flotation must stay in the shallow end unless 
                accompanied by an adult.
 
3.   How old must a swimmer be to swim without adult supervision? 
                The lifeguard is not a babysitter. An adult or an employed babysitter must accompany all children under
                the age of eight. Exceptions will not be permitted so please do not ask. Babysitters must be at least
                sixteen years old and are not subject to guest fees.
 
4.   Who can use the pool? 
                Members with a Social Pool membership, Hybrid Membership, or Golfing Members
 
5.   When can I bring guests? 
                Members can bring guests during all regular pool hours except Wednesdays, which are reserved for
                members only. The guest fee is $5.00, and must be charged to the member’s account. Cash transactions are
                no longer permitted poolside.
 
6.   How many guests can I bring? 
                If you are bringing more than eight people –awesome! Let us known that you are coming! See “Parties”
                for more information.
 
7.   How many times can I bring the same guest? 
                Guests are limited to 10 visits, 3 times in any one month. The guest daily fee is $5 per visit.

8.   Can I send my guest swimming while I am not present? 
                No, you must always accompany all guests. Please greet your guests at the door. Guests must be
                registered by a member. Your guests will not be admitted without you. (So, please do not wave them over
                to where you are sitting.)
 
9.   What about grandchildren? 
                Two week passes are available for purchase for grandchildren of members. Only one pass is available per
                season per family. In all other cases, grandchildren of members are considered guests. They must be present
                with member, pay a guest fee, and are not allowed on Wednesdays. 

10.  What about babysitters? 
                Babysitters are able to come to the pool only with prior written approval from a member. 
                Babysitters are exempt from the $5 guest fee. A babysitter’s children are not allowed at the Pool. 

11.  Will we have adult-only swims? 
                Yes, Monday through Friday, from 1:30 -2:00, the deep end of the pool will be reserved for adults only.             

12.   Who can swim on Wednesdays? 
                Only members and their children may visit the pool on Wednesdays. 

13.   Parking 
                Parking for swim lessons is available in the gravel parking area parallel to Meridian and. Please be
                respectful of our member only parking area.  Children should be escorted to the pool and must stay on the
                path.  Be respectful of the golfers. Walk quietly and keep your children safe. 

14.   How can I schedule a pool party? 
                Pool parties held during normal business hours must include no more than 19 swimmers. For 20 or more people,
             you may schedule a pool party outside of normal business hours. Please see Nick Kheriaty, Aquatics Manager to
                schedule, or call 671-4405 or email pool@bellinghamgcc.com. For more detail, please visit our Private Pool Parties
                info page.

15.   How do I apply to be a lifeguard/swim instructor at the club? 
                Contact Nick Kheriaty, Aquatics Manager at pool@bellinghamgcc.com or CLICK HERE to print out a Job
                Application and send it to the address listed below, Attention: Nick Kheriaty.

16.   How do I sign up for swim lessons? 
                Members can sign up via the Pool email pool@bellinghamgcc.com or can pick up a form at the Front Desk.
                Non-members can enroll in person each Weekend in May: Saturdays 9am-4pm or Sundays 12-4pm
                You may stop by any time during pool hours to sign up for swim lessons. 
                See the Swim Lesson Sign Ups page for more information. 

17.   How old must my swimmer be to begin lessons? 
                We offer swim lessons to children ages 3 and up. All children must be potty trained. There is no upper
                age limit. Many preteens and teens get a strong workout in the advanced classes. 

18.   Can I request a specific time for swim lessons? 
                 Our primary scheduling priority is to closely match swimmers’ abilities to maximize their
                 learning experience. Siblings are guaranteed to be in the same or adjacent time slots. Any additional
                 flexibility that the schedule affords will be used to satisfy your time preferences to the best of our
                 abilities. 

19.   When will I find out my swim lesson time slot? 
                 Final lessons time slots will be available on the website 3 days prior to the session start. 

20.   Will my child go off the diving board? 
                 It has been our policy to take children off of the diving board once they have reached a certain level in
                 their progression. We do this so they can experience what it feels like to fall into deep water, and
                 provide them with the skills necessary to survive in an accident situation (such as falling off of a boat
                 or a dock). 
                 However,  If your child is afraid of heights, has ear problems, or you think jumping off of the diving board 
                 would impede his or her learning ability –please tell us! We think jumping off of the diving board is a valid
                 learning tool, and can be lots of fun, but it is by no means a mandatory component of our swimming program. 
                 3 and 4 year olds will be given the choice. If you would like to ensure that your child does go off of the
                 board, please tell us. 
                 All communications regarding the diving board should be done discretely, by taking the instructor
                 aside at the onset of class, or via the Question/Comment sheet. 

21.   Did my child move down a level because he/she is in a location that he/she has been in before? 
                 We pay special attention to grouping swimmers together who are similar abilities. Therefore,
                 the location in the pool does not correspond to a given “level” or ability. During any given time slot,
                 the swimmers in the pool may have different abilities than those of another time slot. To most 
                 efficiently utilize pool space, classes of varying abilities can be in any given location in the pool. The
                 take home message is this: a change in the location of your child’s swim class does not reflect a
                 change to a “higher” or “lower” class. 

22.   Contact Us 
                 Email: pool@bellinghamgcc.com 
                 Pool Phone: 360-671-4405 
                 Address: 3729 Meridian St. Bellingham, WA 98225 
                 Clubhouse Office Phone: 360-733-3450