Do you feel that? The desert heat is rolling in, and that means it’s time to cool off at The ‘Mark, whether poolside or in the air conditioned Bus Stop. But since it’s probably been a few months since you dipped your toes in the Community Pool, we thought it would be a great time for a quick refresher of do’s and don’ts when spending time at The ‘Mark. Here’s the rundown:

Resident Access Card

So you have your Resident Access Card, but have you read through the Eastmark Eastmark Resident Agreement? You’ll want to take a few minutes to scroll through this document since any violation of terms could mean a deactivation of your access cards. Plus, it’s a pretty great resource if you have questions about what is and isn’t permitted when it comes to Eastmark amenities.

Two Access Cards are issued per Eastmark household, but you have the option to buy a replacement if one gets lost. You’ll want to make sure your Residential Association dues are paid in full and on time, otherwise your Access Card could be suspended until the assessments are paid in full.

Oh, and if you lease your Eastmark home, you automatically transfer amenity rights to the tenant(s) living in your home. Contact the Community Life Team to assist you with this process.

Guest Count

Each Eastmark household may host up to four non-resident guests (kids count, too) at The ‘Mark. This helps manage crowd size and keep amenity usage enjoyable for all residents.

That being said, if you do have a larger group you’d like to bring, feel free to reach out to the Community Life Team in advance to explore possibilities.

All guests need to adhere to the same amenity rules as Eastmark residents.

Residents who work with another person for swim lessons, instruction, or other programming (paid or unpaid) need to contact the Community Life Team ahead of time for approval. All guest policies and pool rules apply to swim instructors, too.

Age Limits

Okay, this is an important one. To ensure the safety of all residents and guests, children younger than 14 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult (18 years or older) at all times. Those older than 14 but not quite 18 may not supervise younger siblings or host their non-resident friends.

The Eastmark Community Center is not a licensed child care facility and the staff is not responsible for supervising younger guests.

Dress Code

When it comes to the pool, proper swimwear is a must. That means street clothes or clothing not specifically designed for swimming are not permitted. Here’s why: regular clothes have detergents, residue, and bodily fluids that can affect the cleanliness and chemistry of the water.

If you’re headed inside The ‘Mark after a dip in the pool, make sure you wear clothes (tops and bottoms) to cover up your swimsuit. Shoes are required inside, too. Please dry off thoroughly so we can avoid slips and falls inside the Bus Stop.

Tots who aren’t potty-trained need to wear a swim diaper and rubber and/or plastic pants in the pool. It’s also a good idea to have children take frequent restroom breaks to avoid accidents in the pool.

Food & Drink

While all that swimming may leave you hungry, save your snacking for the lounge chair. Food, candy, gum, and beverages are not permitted at any time within the pool and cannot be within 4 feet of the water’s edge. Besides being a Maricopa County Environmental Health Code, this also helps keep the pool water clean and prevents tripping hazards from any food or beverages that could be sitting by the pool’s edge.

When you’re inside the Bus Stop, be sure to keep food and drinks away from game equipment and off the floor.

No glass. No glass. No glass! This is a biggie, because it’s also a county rule. So double check your pool bag and make sure you have plastic only. No one wants an injury, or a pool shutdown to clean up the glass. And yes, the county does do surprise inspections!

Safe Swimming

A lifeguard is not on duty at the Eastmark Community Pool, so please swim at your own risk. Since there is no lifeguard present, operation of the pool lift is the responsibility of the user and his or her caregiver.

If you want your youngster to wear a flotation device while in the water, it must be a US Coast Guard approved Type I, II, or III personal flotation device (translation: no water wings). Need more details? Feel free to check with an Ambassador for further help.

It’s also important to keep personal pool toys at home. Why do we have this rule? Personal pool toys can carry bacteria and other germs that can affect the health and safety of your neighbors. That means that kickboards, fun noodles, footballs, basketballs, water guns, water balloons, rafts, and other flotation devices need to stay at home for use in your own pool. Plus, if the pool is cluttered with toys, it reduces visibility in the pool and creates a potentially unsafe situation for swimmers.

Amenity Access

The gates surrounding the facility help protect curious children who may roam in or out of The ‘Mark and into the pool area (or from the pool area into the parking lot) without supervision. For the safety of all children, please close the gates immediately after entering or exiting.

And remember, the amenity is intended for use by Eastmark residents and their guests. Don’t open the gates for folks that don’t already have their own access cards. If neighbors say they forgot their cards, encourage them to check in with the Ambassador through the main entrance to The ‘Mark.

Bus Stop

All game lounge amenities are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be considerate of others and share the fun.

A friendly reminder, keep track of that cue ball and those shuffleboard pucks, because any damage or destruction of game equipment could mean a monetary penalty to cover the cost of replacement.

Ambassadors

Want to shoot some pool? Need help resetting the pop-a-shot machine? Just flag down a friendly member of the Ambassador Team for assistance.

They may also kindly ask that you move your water bottles away from the edge of the pool or dry off before heading into the Bus Stop.

Ambassadors are on duty to help you have an enjoyable and safe experience when visiting the pool and Bus Stop. Please show respect to our Ambassadors because you never know when they might surprise you with an ice pop!

And if you need a buddy to play Foos Ball, all you have to do is ask. They are happy to oblige!

We look forward to seeing you at The ‘Mark this summer! If you have any questions about the amenity usage rules, just message us at CommunityLife@eastmark.com. We’d be happy to help.