BEND, Ore. — A local swim instruction business, The Hopkins Estate Swim Classes, has been forced to shut down after the City of Bend cited them for a code violation. Despite their popularity and the growing demand for swim lessons in the area, Paulina and Mark Hopkins, the owners, were informed that their outdoor pool did not comply with city regulations designed for home businesses.
According to the city’s code, home businesses must operate entirely within a properly constructed and enclosed building. The regulation also stipulates that the business should not have an outward appearance of being a commercial operation, except in the case of outdoor storage. Unfortunately for the Hopkins, their pool is outdoors, making it ineligible to hold swim lessons within city limits. Had the pool been indoors, the business would have been compliant with the law.
“The only thing they say on their code here is it has to be indoors in a properly coded building, and less than 25% [of the building’s size],” said Mark Hopkins. “That doesn’t apply to outdoor anything. That’s the only code on here that we wouldn’t apply for.”
The demand for swim lessons in Bend has increased significantly, with the Bend Park and Recreation District (BPRD) acknowledging that it cannot meet the needs of everyone trying to sign up. BPRD’s summer swim program registration, which opens on Tuesday at 6:00 a.m., often fills up within 15 to 20 minutes, leaving many parents frustrated by the limited availability of classes.
Michael Egging, with BPRD, noted that swim lessons are one of the most competitive offerings in the district’s summer programs. “Typically, our most competitive offerings are swim lessons. We do offer a lot in the summer, but they do fill up. Those typically fill up within the first 15 to 20 minutes of registration,” Egging said.
The Hopkins’ swim lessons were an effort to address this gap. Last year, they were able to teach 100 students, many of whom expressed interest in returning. “There’s such a huge waiting list. I’ve heard of three-year waiting lists,” said Paulina Hopkins. “A lot of people wanted to come back, because everybody has to wait so long.”
However, despite their efforts to meet the community’s needs, the city’s code presented an insurmountable obstacle. The Hopkins’ pool is surrounded by a wall, preventing it from being visible to the public, and making it unlikely to give the outward appearance of a business. Yet, because the pool is outdoors, they were found to be in violation.
The Hopkins argue that the city’s code is outdated and unnecessary, particularly when it comes to teaching essential life skills like swimming. “Why can’t we do swimming lessons? People are gonna want to go out and jump in that river. They have no problem giving tubes to kids to float the river. Do they have life jackets on? Probably not. Do they know how to swim? Who knows?” Mark Hopkins said.
In addition to the Hopkins Estate Swim Classes, the Swim School of Bend also recently shut down its specialized swim program due to the high costs of complying with state and county regulations for public pools. The financial burden required to meet licensing standards has led the Swim School’s owners to discontinue their services.
The Hopkins have appealed to the community, hoping for support in encouraging the city to amend the current code to allow for outdoor swim lessons in private, enclosed spaces. “I’d hope anybody listening would maybe contact the city and try to get them to amend the code so that we can offer swim lessons,” Paulina Hopkins said. “We could get it up and running very quickly. I have instructors who are ready, willing, and able, and who are very well-liked by the children.”
As demand for swim education continues to grow in Bend, local residents may soon find themselves advocating for changes to a code that, in its current form, limits the availability of essential services. The issue highlights the tension between regulations designed for safety and the evolving needs of a community striving to meet the demands of its residents.
