Ross Park Sales Up $10K

The temperature is up, and so are the sales at the Ross Park Aquatic Complex in Pocatello. The pool’s June 2011 sales are up $10,000 from June 2010, and one new manager is helping to pull it off.

The line for Ross Park starts early on Sundays. Scenes like that are helping to contribute to the pool’s growing revenues, and its happy customers.

“I like the lazy river,” one young girl yelled from her bright yellow tube.

Debi Barney came all the way from Vancouver, Wa., to see her grandson Layton compete in an all-star baseball tournament and celebrate her niece’s birthday.

“We have the grandkids here, four generations and they love to swim. And we heard Ross Park was the place to be,” Barney said.

Even though her family lives in Pocatello, Barney is the kind of person that new Ross Park Manager Stacie VanKirk wants to bring to the pool.

“We want this to be a place where not only Pocatello comes, but other people in Idaho, and even Montana and our other surrounding borders. This could be a destination place,” VanKirk said.

To do that, they have to keep improving and building on what is already here, VanKirk said. After her first year in charge, she is excited to do more.

“I’m looking forward to taking what I can. And improving our facilities here, the community rec center, as well as at Ross Park,” she said.

Despite the sales, VanKirk said she still sees people making economic choices, like not going down the slide because it costs extra.

That did not keep everybody off the slide Sunday.

“(It was) great! I recommend everybody come and do it,” said one young-at-heart slide rider.

VanKirk said the support from the community, the city council and her employees has contributed to the improved sales this year, too.