Kids play in the deep end of the pool as the movie "Home" is projected onto the side of the wall during the Dive-In Theater event at Thorbeckes pool on Friday night.
With the movie "Home" playing in the background, kids dive into the deep end of the pool during the Dive-In Theater event at Thorbeckes pool on Friday night.
The movie "Home" is projected onto the side of Thorbeckes Aquatic Center as kids play in the shallow end of the pool during the Dive-In Theater event in Centralia on Friday night.
With the movie "Home" playing in the background, kids dive into the deep end of the pool during the Dive-In Theater event at Thorbeckes pool on Friday night.
A young boy sits on the edge of the pool watching the movie "Home" during the Dive-In Theater event at Thorbeckes pool on Friday night.
Kids play in the shallow end of the pool during the Dive-In Theater event at Thorbeckes pool on Friday night.
Heather Bonagofski remembers it being fairly difficult to find affordable family entertainment when her children were younger.
That’s why she loves the Dive-In Theater at the Centralia Thorbeckes Aquatic Center. Bonagofski, the aquatic facilities manager, said she loves being part of providing local families with an option for a Friday night outing.
“In Lewis County, there isn’t a whole lot for young families to do,” Bonagofski said. “When my kids were young, we’d sometimes go out for a movie, but it’s very expensive. This is a very affordable treat.”
Dive-In Theater is one of a handful of kids-centered activities offered at the Centralia Thorbeckes aquatic center, which also offers swim lessons, April Pools Day and regular open swims. During the monthly Parents Night Out event, kids can also swim in addition to doing crafts and playing games while their parents can go out for a few hours. Bonagofski said offering programming for children is an important component of the facility as a whole.
“We have found if kids are in the facility with their parents and the parents are working out, they’re modeling a healthy lifestyle to those kids,” she explained.
The Friday night movies usually draw about 100 swimmers. During the events, the main lights over the large pool are turned off and the pool is lit from underneath. The shallower kiddie pool is also open during the Dive-In Movie but the lights are left on. Then a family-friendly movie is projected onto a wall above the pools. Bonagofski said she only chooses movies that are rated G or PG.
On a recent Friday night, Reyna Gladsjo, 10, Napavine, attended a showing of “Home” at the pool with her dad, Larry. The usually swim at the pool multiple times each week, but Reyna said the movie nights are a special treat.
“You get to bring a floatie or noodle and you get to swim and watch the movie at the same time,” Reyna said.
During regular open swims, attendees are not allowed to bring personal floatation devices from home except for certain life guard-approved life jackets.
Swimming is an important therapy for Esther Massey’s three sons, ages 16, 10 and 10. The boys, who are among 12 biological and adopted kids in the Onalaska family, live with intellectual disabilities and autism, and the pressure of the water is a helpful sensory activity for them, Massey said. The mother said she loves the Dive-In Movies because the boys are in a safe environment (the aquatic center has extra lifeguards on duty to mitigate the dim lighting) where they can play and burn off energy.
“It’s a great event and they all like it,” Massey said. “At the end all you have to do is get them all out and ready for bed and feed them something. They’re worn out.”
Dive-In Movies are free for Thorbeckes members but non-members can also attend by purchasing a day-pass for $10 for adults, $7 for kids ages 11-15 and $5 for kids 10 and younger. Children younger than 4 need to have a parent present in the pool with them for all open swims and Dive-In Movies. Kids 4-7 must have a parent present on the pool deck though that parent is not required in the pool, and kids 8-11 can be at open swims unsupervised after a waiver form has been signed. Bonagofski noted that day passes are good for an entire business day and can be used at any Thorbeckes facility.
“So a family can buy a day pass and go swimming but they can also, as a family, enjoy our basketball courts or our racquetball courts and they could also go to Chehalis and use the rock wall if they check the schedule,” she said.
