By: Matt Milde

Menlo Swim & Sport presented their annual report to the Parks & Recreation Commission during their February meeting. It is estimated that there are more than 488,000 visits to the Burgess Pool facility and 16,000 visits to the Belle Haven Pool facility on an annual basis. In 2016, Menlo Swim and Sport maintained its program and recreation based volume numbers at Burgess with a slight reduction in program participation at Belle Haven. There was, however, a spike in Facebook employee memberships for lap swimming at the facility. 

The Menlo Mavericks water polo team attended the Junior Olympics at Stanford and surrounding sites last summer. Three teams participated; 12-and-under girls, 12-and-under boys and 10-and-under coed. In addition to attending, Belle Haven Pool served as one of the host sites. The programs of greatest growth were Menlo Masters adult swim team and the Safety Academy. The Menlo Masters experienced 10 percent growth, which is unique for a program that has been active since 1994 and has over 300 members. The Safety Academy increased by 400 percent and finished the year as the leading Red Cross provider for lifeguard certification for the entire Bay Area. The program certified 233 lifeguards over the year. 2016 was a successful year for Menlo Swim and Sport at the Burgess Park and Belle Haven Pools. Their staff continues to put forth great efforts to improve the programs and services offered to the community through their partnership with the City of Menlo Park.