2024 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I register for lessons?
This year we are moving to online registrations! Yay! The fastest and easiest way for you to register is to do so online. Please check our Lesson Info page for all the information you need and check our registration site to Register for Lessons.
If you need assistance you can call our office at (604) 531-8855, but it will be far faster for you to register yourself online.
What happens if classes fill up?
At the Surrey Outdoor Pools, we typically find that while very full, many classes do not fill up entirely and at some facilities we have the ability to run even more classes but there isn’t the demand. While it might be difficult to get your preferred time, we will try to find classes that work for you.
If the classes or levels you are looking for do fill up, know that we do plan on opening more spots in the coming weeks. These additional classes will be added based on demand. The will be released on Monday mornings and specific updates/warnings will be posted on our Lesson Info page the week prior to keep you updated.
If you don’t find the classes you are looking for, reach out to the pool you are interested in taking lessons at and let them know what you are looking for. There is a chance we may be able to accommodate that in a future release of classes.
Why is there a cancellation fee?
Before 2022, Tide’s Out did not charge a cancellation fee for lessons. Unfortunately, we found that this policy was abused (badly) in 2021. Tide’s Out has always understood that peoples and families’ plans can change and tried to accommodate this as best as possible.
Unfortunately, in 2021 there were a large number or people booking 8+ weeks of lessons at the start of summer in order to hold spots. They then refunded some or all of their classes as other day camps and vacations opened up for the summer. Lifeguards were told many times by parents they were surprised we did not charge a cancellation fee and that they would call back once they had confirmed bike camps and camping trips to cancel some of their classes.
As a result, there is a $25.00 cancellation/refund fee. Review the full Terms & Conditions for details. This document must be accepted during your online registration.
We hope that a cancellation fee will result in:
Classes are only being booked by people who intend to swim
Reduce the need for waitlists to fill spots at the last second
More families have a chance to plan and book lessons in advance rather than classes being prematurely filled only to have spots open at the last second
Not losing money. Credit card companies take a percentage of every transaction which is how they pay for rewards like cash back and travel points. Every time a refund is issued at full price, we lose a percentage of that transaction with no recourse.