Increase in water aerobics class fee doesn’t last for seniors

Even on an overcast day, water aerobics is a popular workout, especially for El Paso seniors.

However, a new fee increase that went into effect this September threatened the popularity of the classes in El Paso.

Ana Arroyo, a water aerobics class participant for the past three years, said many residents who attend the class are on a fixed income and use the class as therapy.

So when Arroyo learned of the fee increase she was not pleased.

“Mr. Stanton came, he’s in charge of the pools and recreation, and he told us there was going to be an increase, and we all told him it was way too much. It was a 50 percent increase,” Arroyo said.

The fee increase is $12 a month or $144 a year.

Arroyo said she was worried the jump, from $24 a month to $36, would force her classmates to quit.

So she took matters into her own hands.

“We’re taxpayers, city taxpayers, and we’re already paying for our pools. We’re paying for that, and they’re talking of an increase on top of all our taxes that they increase. I said, ‘I don’t think that’s fair’,” Arroyo said.

Parks and Recreation Aquatics Manager Wright Stanton said the fee was necessary to pay for certified aerobics instructors.

He said they originally paid lifeguards to teach the course, after they became certified.

With the new fee though, he said instructors are paid different amounts than lifeguards, which is beneficial to Parks and Recreation.

Stanton admitted that the response to the fee was not a positive one.

“All that feedback that we got, we sent that forward to the Parks and Rec Director and she took it to the City Manager, and they talked about what they can do to help the patrons,” Stanton said.

The result of the complaints from class members was impressive.

Stanton said a 50 percent senior discount was created because most of the class participants are senior citizens.

The new discount drops to monthly fee to only $18. Plus, Stanton said seniors who paid $36 this month will receive a credit toward next month.

Arroyo is happy with the discount.

“I said I wouldn’t go down without a fight, and I got it done,” she said.

In addition to the fee increase, Stanton said Park and Recreation Aquatics also eliminated the drop-in day fee of $3 for the class.

The drop-in fee allowed people to only pay for the course on the days they attended.

Stanton said in place of the drop-in fee, a new one-time trial fee of $5 is now being offered.

He said the decision was made in hopes of retaining class participants.