The City of Calgary Recreation is committed to providing an aquatic environment where individuals from all ethnic and religious backgrounds are comfortable participating in activities in and around the water.  We want all customers to feel safe and welcome at our facilities, and have therefore adopted a non-traditional bathing wear policy as outlined below.

In addition to conventional swim wear, participants may wear:

• Long-sleeved pants and shirts, tee-shirts and shorts with undergarments or a swim suit worn underneath.   
• Traditional ethnic clothing (e.g. saris and hijabs) with a swim suit or undergarments worn underneath.  For safety reasons, patrons wearing traditional garments such as saris are asked to remain in the shallow end of the pool and to refrain from using the dive tank.

In order to ensure that our aquatic environments are safe and free from any external contaminants, all participants are required to:

• Wear clothing that is different from the clothing worn to the facility
• Take a complete and cleansing shower (while clothed in the swim attire that will be worn in the water) before entering the pool 

Through this policy, Recreation affirms its commitment to recognizing and valuing the diversity of our customers.  

Swimming lesson levels are based on the skill level of the swimmer. Proof of previous level completion is not required as long as the swimmer's skills meet the description of the lesson level. 

A complimentary swim assessment can be booked by contacting Recreation.

Registering a swimmer in the correct lesson level ensures the safety of all participants. It also helps swimmers better improve their skills and feel more confident in their abilities. 

Swimmers who do not meet the skill level required may have a difficult time excelling in their learning and progression. When space allows, swimmers may be transferred to another class.

It is completely normal for some swimmers to take the same lesson level more than once. Swimmers progress at different paces and this not reflective of individual effort or competence. Swimming during times outside of lessons is an essential way to ensure swimmers practice their skills and progress in their ability. 

Combined-level classes teach skills from two lesson levels and can be great for swimmers who are unsure which lesson level matches their skill level. Combined-level classes are limited in offering based on enrollment.

Combined-level classes aren't offered for all levels. Skills in some levels align better than others. For instance, the skills taught in Swimmer 3 and 4 align more closely than those in Swimmer 2 and 3. 

Swimming lesson prices vary based on number of classes in a course, the total number of instruction hours and the number of swimmers in each class. Group lessons range from $5.75 to $10 per class. Private lessons cost $47.50 per class. 

No. Swimming lessons do not have any additional costs.

Lifesaving and swim certification courses may have some material costs and certification fees which are paid to the Lifesaving Society. 

We recommend each swimmer only take one lesson per season. This allows a full assessment of a swimmer’s ability before choosing an appropriate subsequent lesson. 

We recommend waiting until lessons are complete and you’ve received a report card before registering a swimmer in more lessons. If this is not possible, we recommend registering in a combined-level lesson or waiting until the following season to register.

Absolutely. Lessons teach core skills, but practicing will help swimmers progress at a much faster rate and is essential to becoming a better swimmer. Find public swim times at our locations at calgary.ca/pools.