City to Offer Swim Lessons
Eagle River City Administrator Robin Ginner is inviting parents and guardians to sign their kids up for the city’s upcoming swimming lessons slated this July at Silver Lake Beach.
These popular courses are scheduled to take place July 7-10, 14-17, and 21-24; and will be held Mondays through Thursdays, with a weather/make-up day on Fridays as needed. Youths can be signed up for one-week intervals, or for all three weeks to get a truly in-depth learning experience and come away with excellent swimming skills.
“As soon as a family signs up, we send their info over to the swim instructor, who reaches out to the family to talk about the lessons and what they can expect, and if they have any concerns,” Ginner said.
Joe Laux, former city administrator and Rotarian, teaches the lessons each year. According to Ginner, he is an avid and prolific swimmer, as well as a fantastic swim teacher for the kids. Anywhere from 40 to 60 kids take part each year in this popular program. The number of courses will be based on Laux's availability, but Ginner urges parents to sign up early to secure their spots.
Cost is $20 for the first child, and $5 for each additional child per week. Special arrangements can be made for large family groups, youths age 12 and older, or any adults that may be interested.
Swimming lessons at Silver Lake Beach have been a long tradition in Eagle River. "That's where I learned to swim as a little tadpole!" Ginner noted. But after not operating for a number of years, the courses were brought back in 2019 after the Eagle River Rotary Club made some improvements to the beach, including swim platforms and lanes.
"Both the city council and Rotary thought this was a great idea because of all the lakes and rivers up here," Ginner said. "Kids need to know how to swim because they’re almost always in some proximity to water, so the city began offering them annually for the past few years."
Sign-up can be completed by clicking on the Swim Lessons Registration Form or by stopping into the city clerk's office at Eagle River City Hall, located at 525 E Maple St. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ginner added that Silver Lake Beach will not have a lifeguard on duty this year due to a lack of interest, but signs will be posted letting the public know that all swimming is done at their own risk.
She also noted that the beach will close for the season on Aug. 11 — earlier than usual due to major reconstruction work to take place on Silver Lake Road. Work will include not only the resurfacing of the road, but the addition of a raised bike and pedestrian lane along the south side of the street to provide a more safe route for travelers. The lane will end at the beach.
