WEST ALLIS — A new community partnership is making a splash in Milwaukee this summer.
Milwaukee County Parks and the West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation and Community Services Department teamed up to bring outdoor aqua Zumba to Cool Waters for the first time, and the program is already a hit in its debut year.
Watch: Community partnership brings first outdoor aqua Zumba classes to Cool Waters this summer
Kristen Schmalfeldt, program manager at the West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation and Community Services Department, said the collaboration was inspired by her organization's director.
"Our director at West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation always encouraged us to collaborate with other organizations, so she inspired me to reach out to Milwaukee County, and I reached out to Krystal and came up with this idea to bring this to life," Schmalfeldt said.
Classes are held at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The morning session draws around 30 participants, while the evening session attracts more than 50.
Schmalfeldt credited the program's instructors for its early success.
"Really have to credit our amazing instructors we have. We have Crystal this morning and Dina at night, and it's just really great opportunity to have out at Cool Waters. Just really have a great pool here. It's heated, and they just have so much fun with their different exercises and the music routine that they have," Schmalfeldt said.
Cool Waters is one of five outdoor pools Milwaukee County operates this summer. The facility is open most days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with two evening sessions per week from 5 to 7 p.m. The pool water is currently 82 degrees. Amenities include large water slides, kiddie slides, a zero-depth-entry area and lap lanes.
Krystal Ganz, aquatic manager at Milwaukee County Parks, said the pool's layout made it a natural fit for the new program.
Cool Waters will remain open through Labor Day. Other Milwaukee County pools are open through approximately mid-August.
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