"Rules, rules, rules" whines Inquirer but Beachcomber sticks with safety, comfort: from "The Drift" at Beachcomber Swim Club in Center Square, PA

Swim
Club

Philadelphia Inquirer whines about BSC rules,
but Beachcomber sticks with safety, comfort

The July 6th 1998 edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer contained a review of local swimming pools. Beachcomber Swim Club was included in the article.

The Inquirer raved about the vast variety of activities available to members, loved our green, green grass and towering trees, but they did whine about the “rules, rules, rules.”

Inky is a big baby The article stated, “there are a lot o’ rules, including the ones that say kids under 5 need a bathroom escort, no hanging on the basketball rims, no waterguns, and no glass bowls or bottles.”

The Inquirer didn’t realize that these rules keep Beachcomber the special place that it is. These rules were created by the members themselves, and were designed to keep our members safe and comfortable. Let’s examine the reasons for these rules.

In the Beachcomber Rules and Regulations, under “Cleanliness & Safety” is the following rule: "Children under 5 years of age must be accompanied by an adult in the rest rooms.”

Reason: The restrooms are cleaned every morning. When the staff catches someone trashing the bathroom, it’s almost always a child without adult supervision. To keep the bathrooms as clean as they started, parents are asked to supervise their young ones.

It’s funny that The Inquirer thought that the second rule was strange enough to mention. Now, if kids were allowed to hang on the basketball rims, it wouldn’t be long before we didn’t have any basketball rims. Right?

“No waterguns.”
This rule wasn’t put in to keep your kids from having fun. If that were our intent, we wouldn’t have miniature golf, tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, arts and crafts and all the other activities we offer. This rule relates to the comfort of our adult members, some of whom like to sit under the trees and read, and don’t have the urge to be hosed with Junior’s new “SuperSoaker 2000 Water-Cannon.” I know that some kids find it hard to believe, but not everyone who comes to Beachcomber intends to get soaking wet.

“No glass.”
We’ve explained the “no glass bottles or containers” rule before, but it is an important safety rule. Here are the facts:

Glass breaks.
Small razor–sharp pieces of glass are hard to spot.
People at Beachcomber often walk barefoot.
The staff doesn’t have an endless supply of Bactine™ and Band-Aids™.

While I’m on the topic of rules, there are a few more I’d like to mention.

“No Transfer of Membership Cards”
This is a serious offense and may result in dismissal from the club. When you transfer a card to another person who hasn’t paid to become a member, you are stealing funds from the club. Beachcomber is a co-operative, and depends upon our membership dues to stay in business. Handing over a membership card to a non-member deprives the club of that person’s financial contribution. Rather than risk dismissal, please pay the guest fee.

“Picnic Tables may not be reserved”
If tables could be reserved, then there wouldn’t be a table available when someone else is ready to eat. There’s almost always a picnic table available, and when you’re done eating, the table is available for someone else. I’ve just got a few more to mention, and we’ll be done with this for the year.

“On Beachcomber property, the Speed Limit is 10 mph”
Beachcomber covers 19 acres, and children wander every square foot of it. Children, however, don’t understand the danger of driveways and are often oblivious to cars. It’s important that you keep your speed down and stay alert for those dashing little ones. Also, the turnaround is just like the airport White Zone—for loading and unloading only.

“No Drugs or Alcohol permitted on Beachcomber property”
Beachcomber is a family club. This rule helps preserve the family atmosphere. I’m just about done. Really! You can see that the end is in sight. Let’s finish it up.

“Meals may not be eaten by the pool area. Meals are to be eaten on the lower grounds by the picnic tables.”
We share the natural beauty of Beachcomber with bees, foxes, raccoons and skunks. Food debris attracts them, and we don’t want them around the pool area. You may eat snacks (fruit, chips, water ice) on the upper grounds, but please clean up afterwards.

These rules have been created to maintain the high quality of life and beauty of Beachcomber. It is expected that members will abide by them in the spirit of cooperation.

Thank you,
The Management