Lido Aquatic Centre product reviews

Well, if you like swimming, in Palmy north, this is probably going to be in your Top 3 list. With a playpark next door, a huge rose garden and recreation park right behind it, and plenty of easily accessible parking, it has a lot going for it.

After a few years of being partly out of action due to major renovations and upgrades, it now boasts an outdoor diving pool, scuba pool, and interestingly-shaped liesure pool with water cannons for the kids.

Add to that the indoor hydroslides (two rather basic ones), the 'active' and 'passive' pools (I have no idea why they are called that), a heated kiddies paddling pool (often slipped into by freezing adults 'so I can keep an eye on my toddler, honest'), snack bar, and swimming-lesson pool, plus the original Boldt Memorial swimming-lanes pool... there sure sounds like plenty to do.

That's where it ends however. Plagued by often-out-of-order-or-stock vending machines, a glass-walled kiddies playarea devoid of toys (so it's more a glass prison), and flakey water cannons that sometimes fire, sometime dribble, sometimes nothing... all in all it's not the greatest.

I was shocked to see a number of people bringing cameras into the pool areas, (even a couple of teenagers with waterproof ones IN the pool itself, completely ignored by the staff despite complaints from pool users), food in the pool, and a constant supply of used soggy bandaids in and around the pools. The big upside, and the main reason I keep taking my son there... unlimited hot, high-pressure water in the showers, and family changing rooms allowing couples and families to stay together.

overall, even taking into account the inexpensive entry fees (the slides are extra, so remember not to use them without your wristband in plain sight), I am glad I have a discount card that gives me cheap access. Not really all that great shakes, but it is the pool closest to home worth using.