FORT PROVIDENCE - Water can be as smooth as a pane of glass when it's calm but during the open hours at the Fort Providence aquatic centre it's seldom that way.

Space can be a luxury in the Fort Providence pool which is busy almost every day. Swimmers in just one corner of the pool include, from left, front row: Mikaela Vandell, Shannon Bonnetrouge, Amanda Simba, Morgan Geddes; middle row: Craig Bonnetrouge, Jeff Canadien, Skyler Constant, Bobby-Lynn Constant, back row: Christopher Canadien, Tookie McLeod and Derek Vandell. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Since opening for the season on June 20 the pool has been a magnet for community members, mainly youth.

"I was surprised to see how many people come here," said Charlene Bonnetrouge, the pool supervisor.

This will be the second full summer season that the pool has been open.

Built in 2004, the pool was originally opened for a month in September 2005 before its first full summer season.

Last year the pool was also popular but there were peaks and troughs in its usage. This year the popularity has been steady, she said.

"It's been pretty busy this year," said Bonnetrouge.

Public swim is the most popular event on the facility's schedule, which also includes time for swimming lessons, family swim, open lane swim and the swim team.

Each public swim is usually full with a maximum of 50 people so some people arrive early to ensure their spots in the 1-3 p.m. or 6-7 p.m. sessions.

"They start lining up at 11, 12 o'clock," Bonnetrouge said.

Rochella Sanderson is one of the pool's regular swimmers.

Sanderson, 12, said she comes to the pool every day with her friends. There's usually a lineup, she said.

The best part of the pool is "having fun," said Sanderson.

The pool is also a part of the daily routine for Shannon Bonnetrouge, who meets friends there. Together they play a game called Not It, which is like tag, said Bonnetrouge.

One of the draws of the pool might be the new facility, said Charlene Bonnetrouge.

The new pool uses a saltwater system.

"I find it's easier on the skin," said Bonnetrouge.

The new system is also much better for staff than the setup at the previous pool, which involved manually dumping buckets of chlorine solution into the water, she said.

Bonnetrouge knows a thing or two about the history of pools in Fort Providence.

She started working at the hamlet's previous pool when she was around 13 as a summer student.

When she turned 18 she was allowed to start guarding the pool. Health officials closed that pool in 2001.

Since its opening, Bonnetrouge has supervised the new pool. This year she has the help of two lifeguard assistants.

After all these years, Bonnetrouge says she still enjoys working at the pool but is thinking of going back to school in Edmonton to work towards obtaining a job in the education field.

"I like working with kids," said Bonnetrouge.