RULES & REGULATIONS

Updated June 2024

In order to maximize safety, pleasure, and comfort of the members, the Board of Directors of Rock Creek Pool, Inc. (RCP) has adopted and issued the following rules and regulations for the operation of the swimming pool and related facilities that comprise RCP. All members and guests are presumed to have read and understood the rules and regulations listed below as well as the Supporting Pool Rules and Guidelines for Handling Incidents. Parents and guardians are responsible to review the rules with their children. Thank you for your attention to these policies.

For the purposes of the Rules and Regulations, the term “member” refers to the individual that holds a share of RCP, a Waitlist-Summer Swimmer, a Waitlist-August Swimmer and all immediate family members living in those households. The term “member” also refers to Senior Swimmers.

I. GENERAL RULES

1. Pool Management

The pool manager, or acting manager, (manager) is the representative of RCP and, as such, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the swimming pool and related facilities that comprise the RCP grounds. The manager is responsible for enforcing all RULES AND REGULATIONS regarding the pool, pool grounds, and all related facilities that comprise RCP. The manager, under the supervision of the Board of Directors (Board), is authorized to make on-the-spot decisions concerning all matters affecting pool operations. The Board has granted the manager full authority to enforce all rules relating to health and safety, and therefore, he/she may eject, or otherwise restrict, any person whose conduct he/she determines could endanger the heath and safety of others.

2. Facility Use

All members are required to pay timely and, in full, all annual dues and assessments, as established by the Board. Members who have not paid dues and assessments will be denied entry to all facilities. Summer dues must be paid by the deadline of the summer swim season or pay the late fees.

3. Pool Hours

  1. The pool will be open each day of the season at hours specified by the Board.
  2. The Board may establish six (6) special dates per season in which the pool may remain open until 10:00pm.
  3. The manager, in conjunction with the Board or its properly designated committee, will establish specific times for providing swimming lessons or other special events.
  4. The Board has authorized the manager to close the pool when necessary, due to adverse weather conditions and/or the performance of maintenance or repairs. During those times that the pool is closed, no one, other than authorized personnel, is permitted within the fenced area of the pool.

Guest Policy

  1. A guest is defined as any person other than a member that is brought to the pool by the member.
  2. A member, along with his/her guest(s), is required to register at the pool entrance. Any member or guest that refuses to register will not be permitted to enter the fenced pool area that day. In the event such member or guest walks into the fenced pool area without registering, both the member and guest(s) will be ejected from the fenced pool area for that day.
  3. Members may obtain guest passes, at rates established by the Board (currently $5 per person, per visit; $10 per person on holidays) or $100 per person for caregivers/houseguests.
  4. The member must pay the appropriate admission charge for each guest and must remain at the pool for the duration of the guest’s presence within the fenced pool premises. A member may not leave a guest alone at the pool at any time. In other words, the guest must leave the pool premises when the member leaves.
  5. Daily Guest Passes may be purchased in advance through the member account, in sets of 4. If guest passes were not purchased in advance, the guards will place charges “on account”. Payment will not be accepted at the pool. Bills will be sent for “on account” charges that should be payed promptly.
  6. Any member who wishes to have a gathering of more than ten (10) guests (including the host and other members) at one time to the pool, is required to request and obtain approval in order to assure that adequate safety precautions will be available (see III. Rules Concerning Parties).
  7. Any member who desires to have a birthday party or other special party must abide by all the rules and regulations therefore.
  8. Members must provide the name and recent photograph of each person that he/she designates as a non-member childcare designee.
  9. Families with a non-member houseguest, caregiver, daycare provider, au pair, or nanny (extended guest) associated with their account must pay a $100 per season fee to have them accompany your children or another account member to the pool regardless of whether or not they swim. The extended guest may not enter the pool grounds without an account member present. The account member is responsible for all of their guests and must remain at the pool with their guests (extended and daily) for the duration of their visit.
  10. Guest passes are non-transferable and are forfeited when a pool account is closed.

II. HEALTH & SAFETY RULES & REGULATIONS

  1. All persons are required to use the toilet facilities whenever necessary. Parents are responsible for their children, especially those 10 years old or less. Parents should make sure that toilets are flushed and that their children do not leave a mess in the bathroom facilities.
  2. Street clothes of any type may not be worn in the swimming pool. Only conventional, color-fast swimming/bathing attire is permitted.
  3. Except for eyeglasses, glass of any type (containers or receptacles) is prohibited in the pool area, including the main pool and wading pool areas. Eyeglasses shall not be worn in the water unless special permission is requested and obtain from the manager.
  4. At all times, the entire deck area shall be clear of all obstructions, including baby strollers, carriages, deck chairs, etc.
  5. Footwear worn on the deck must be free of dirt, excreta, and extraneous matter.
  6. Parents are responsible for the behavior and actions of their children in the main pool, wading pool, and the grounds of RCP.
  7. Running on the pool deck, pushing, wrestling, fighting (in or out of the swimming pool), etc., are forbidden. The pool management has final, on-the-spot authority to take disciplinary action, including ejection of any person who violates this rule.
  8. All food, including candy, chips, cookies, and chewing gum, is allowed only on the grassy area, the designated eating area, and in the wading pool area at a table. No drinks, except those in plastic reusable containers, are permitted in the pool area. NO glassware or bottles are allowed anywhere within the facilities.
  9. Infant Feeding Policy
    1. Infant feeding is allowed only on the grassy area, the designated eating area, and in the wading pool area at a table. Non-breakable containers must be used at all times.
    2. Parents or an authorized child-care designee must continually attend the infant being fed.
    3. Feeding in the water is prohibited.
  10. Smoking is prohibited within the fenced pool area and immediately surrounding the fenced in pool area.
  11. No person shall be permitted entry into the pool if they have any of the following conditions: skin diseases, open sores, inflamed eyes, cold, nasal or ear discharge, or any communicable diseases. Persons with excessive sunburn and bandages of any kind also will be excluded. Members with the above listed conditions are requested to be considerate of their fellow members and reframe from coming to RCP.
  12. Spitting or spouting water, blowing the nose, etc., are forbidden in the pool. Pool management has authority to take on-the-spot disciplinary action, including the ejection of any person who violates this rule.
  13. In order to prevent over-fatigue in children under 14 years of age, there will be an “adult swim” the final 15 minutes of each hour. Children who ordinarily swim in the main pool are not permitted in the wading pool area during “adult swim” or any other time unless they are designated child-care supervisors of eligible wading pool children. In any event, children older than six (6) are not permitted in the wading pool at any time.
  14. Rules having specific application to children:
    1. No child under 10 is permitted on the pool premises unless accompanied by a parent or designated child-care supervisor 14 years old or older. (Swim and dive team coaches, during practices or other swim and dive team events are considered to be designated child-care supervisors.) Unsupervised children will be kept in the pool office until a parent or responsible adult picks up the child and the member’s pool privileges will be suspended.
    2. Only soft plastic toys are permitted. Ball playing will be controlled by the pool management. Water guns, blasters, soakers and hard plastic torpedoes are prohibited from being used on the pool grounds. Except for dates and times designated by the Board, inflated devices of any kind (including water wings, tubes, rafts, noodles, etc.) are prohibited from use in the main pool! Kick boards are to be used in the lap lanes only by those swimming laps.
    3. Children who are not completely toilet-trained and incontinent adults are prohibited from going into the main pool. Children who are not completely toilet-trained must wear a swim diaper and snugly fitting waterproof pant when in the wading pool.
  15. The use of snorkel devices, and all other swimming equipment will be regulated by the manager. Swim masks are prohibited in both the main pool and the wading pool. Toys are to be used with care in the main pool. Only soft plastic toys are permitted in the wading pool. Ball playing will be controlled by the pool management. Water guns, blasters, and soakers are prohibited from being used on the pool grounds.
  16. Only persons who can swim one length of the pool (25 meters) without stopping and tread water for one minute are permitted to use the diving well and the deep end of the main pool. The pool management is authorized to spot test swimmers as deemed necessary.
  17. After consulting with the Montgomery County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, the Board has established the following policy in the event of adverse weather conditions:
    1. When weather conditions dictate, the manager, in the interest of safety, has the authority to close the pool area and direct all people to leave the pool area, including the main pool, wading pool, bathhouse, eating areas, front steps, and grassy or wooded areas until such time that thunder has not been heard for 20 minutes.
    2. No one should stand under trees when thunder and/or lightening occur.
    3. In the event that an unsupervised child is on pool grounds during an adverse weather condition, the child will remain in the pool office until the child is picked up by a parent or a responsible party, and the member’s privileges to the facilities of RCP can be suspended.
  18. Pool management is authorized to clear the pool area (including the main pool, wading pool, bathhouse, eating areas, front steps, and grassy or wooded areas) of all people in the event of an emergency. When fecal matter or vomit is introduced into the pool, the pool must be closed for a minimum of 20 minutes.
  19. Rules governing diving
    1. Diving in shallow areas (less than 5 feet deep) is forbidden. Diving areas are designated around the pool borders.
    2. Divers are required to use care and common sense when approaching and leaving the diving boards.
    3. Before diving, divers will make sure that no one is under the diving boards. Parents or designated child-care supervisors are not permitted in the diving well while their children are diving.
    4. Diving or jumping off the side of the diving board is prohibited.
    5. Only one person at a time is allowed on the diving boards.
    6. Horseplay is never allowed on the diving boards. Repeated bouncing on the diving board and running off the diving boards also are prohibited.
    7. Divers, upon completing their dive, immediately must exit the diving well using designated ladders.
  20. All injuries must be reported promptly to the manager or lifeguard and an incident report completed.

III. RULES CONCERNING PARTIES

Rock Creek Pool encourages its members to use the facilities for birthday parties and other special events. The Board and management want members and their guests to feel welcome, and to have a happy and safe time at parties, while respecting the rights of other members to enjoy their regular use of the pool.

The following policies have been adopted in an effort to assist our members in hosting parties at their pool. These party rules apply to any situation where one or more members, singly or together, intend to have a gathering of ten or more at the pool. Because the purpose of these rules is to prevent the gathering of large parties at the pool at times when the pool is typically busy and to assure that the pool is adequately staffed to accommodate scheduled parties, the rules will be interpreted to further those goals. Any members attempting to bring in guests in violation of these rules, as determined by the Board or Management, will be refused entry to the pool.

  1. SCHEDULE YOUR PARTY IN ADVANCE. Complete the Party Request Form for any group or combination of groups that includes ten or more participants (including account members), no later than seven days before the party for approval. Please allow 3-5 business days for approval of the event and posting on the calendar. The form requests the party name, proposed date and start/end times (refer to allowable times below), the party size (including members), number and ages of children, number of adults, number of non-members, and the preferred location (grill patio or north grassy area). Approved parties will be listed on the website calendar. In resolving conflicts, the rule of “first come, first served” will be applied, so plan ahead!
  2. REMEMBER THAT THE DAYS AVAILABLE FOR PARTIES ARE LIMITED. Parties may be held only during the following time periods: Sunday: 5:00pm-8:00pm; Monday-Thursday: 3:00pm-8:00pm (or 30 minutes before the pool closes to allow time for clean-up). Parties may not be held during holiday weekends, social events, swim or dive meets. Check the website calendar for availability.
  3. DECIDE IN ADVANCE HOW MANY GUESTS YOU’LL INVITE. The limit for the number of party guests is 25 people, including chaperones and hosts. As a general rule, we do not allow class parties at the pool.
  4. ONCE YOUR PARTY IS APPROVED, SUBMIT THE GUEST LIST. Not less than a week before the scheduled party, send a complete list of invited non-members to Admin@RockCreekPool.com, you will only be charged for those who attend. Guest passes are required for each non-member attendee so be certain to purchase guest passes in advance. The guards will have the attendee list and can check-in non-members without the member needing to be present if enough guest pass credits are in the member account. If the party host is a member of the Board, the first six (6) non-member party guests may be admitted without charge. However, he/she must pay for the admission of each additional non-member party guest.
  5. MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION. If the party is for a child under ten, there must be at least one (1) adult chaperone for every five (5) children. The account member having the party is responsible for inquiring and determining whether any of the guests are not water safe and any such children must be supervised and accompanied by an adult at all times. To be water safe, a child must be able to swim one length of the pool and be able to tread water for sixty seconds.
  6. PLAN YOUR FOOD. The grills are available for cooking at parties, but only adults may use them. The member is responsible for supplying charcoal. Remember, however, that food can be consumed only in the designated eating areas or outside the fenced pool area. It is the responsibility of the party host to inform all guests of this rule.
  7. CLEAN UP! Decorations, including balloons, are permitted as long as they do not damage the pool facilities. The party host is responsible for thoroughly cleaning up the area after the conclusion of the party. There is no charge for active accounts to host a party but fees will be charged if the site is not cleaned or there is damage to the pool facilities and equipment.

IV. MISCELLANEOUS RULES & REGULATIONS

  1. Members always are responsible for the conduct of their guests.
  2. Alcoholic beverages or illegal substances are forbidden from being brought onto or consumed in or about the pool area or on the property of RCP. Alcoholic beverages, purchased at the pool, may be permitted on special occasions as designated by the Board for pool-sponsored events.
  3. Damage to or destruction of the property of RCP shall be chargeable to the member. The member shall be required to reimburse RCP for the actual cost of repair or replacement of the damaged or destroyed property. Failure to reimburse RCP may result in the suspension or loss of swim privileges.
  4. RCP is not responsible for the loss or theft of any personal property brought onto the premises of the pool. Inquiries concerning lost or stolen items should be made at the pool office.
  5. Parking Regulations
    1. Members and guest must park their vehicles in the lined spaces provided in the paved lower level of the RCP property.
    2. Parking in the upper lot is in designated parking spots only. Please leave the upper lot for those members that have difficulty navigating the stairs. All vehicles illegally parked in the upper lot will be towed.
    3. Pedestrians in the parking area always have the right of way.
    4. To ensure pedestrian safety, the speed limit in the parking lot is ten (10) mph.
    5. All bicycles riders must use the designated bicycle parking area. Bicycle riders shall ride in a careful, courteous manner while on the property of RCP. Bicycles may not be ridden inside the fenced pool area.
    6. Members and guests are not to use curbside parking along Grubb Road.
  6. No person is permitted to use the main pool or the wading pool unless the pools are officially open and an adequate complement of lifeguards, as determined by the manager, is on duty.
  7. Pets are not permitted within the fenced pool area. When on RCP grounds, owner must pick up after their pets.
  8. Children are prohibited from playing or wading in the stream or culvert on the property of RCP. Littering of the stream or culvert also is prohibited.
  9. All inquiries, complaints, or suggestions concerning any aspect of the operation of RCP should be submitted to the Chairman of the Pool Operations Committee, the manager, or any member of the Board.