MEDFORD, Ore.- January 13th marked a week since Rogue X opened its doors to the public. In that time, the building has been jam packed with fun activities and with people.
Southern Oregon has been needing a facility like this for a long time. So much so, that Rogue X has people waiting to get into the water.
“We had no idea how many people were going to be coming through this place,” Medford Parks and Recreation Director Rich Rosenthal told NBC5, “We knew it would be busy, but there are thousands of people, every day”.
Rogue X opened its doors on January 6th. According to Rosenthal, Rogue X exceeded expectations by a huge amount. Some guests agree that the recreation spot is better than what they hoped for.
“It was super fun. We got to go on the rec side and use the slides and then we came over and did relays and races on the competitive side,” said Lily Williams of South Medford High School’s swim team.
“I’ve been a club swimmer since I was 3 years old so having a nice facility and, like, a big pool we can host big meets at is a really awesome opportunity to have down in Southern Oregon,” said Paige Schiffer of SMHS swim team.
“I think my expectations were exceeded because it’s just an amazing facility with the swimming pool side and what’s available with the competitive side,” Shannon Anderson said, “I was here for a competitive swim meet this weekend and… with the high school and now I’m here for recreation time with my kids”.
With heated swim recreation areas, it seems to be no wonder that Rogue X is so busy this winter. But with everyone excited to get into the water, the space is getting a little cramped
“That has posed… some, you know, some challenges in terms of the number of people who are coming,” Rosenthal told NBC5, “we have capacity issues on the aquatic side”.
Rosenthal says their swim sessions fill up quickly, and sometimes they have to tell people to come back later or even another day. While Rogue X is getting raving reviews, there’s always room to improve.
“There’s some things that we probably would have changed,” One Southern Oregon resident said.
“There will be some modifications made, I’m sure as the time goes on, but, right now, we’re having a good time being able to play inside while it’s cold,” another Southern Oregon resident said.
Rosenthal says Rogue X is ready to take on any challenges that come their way.
“We’re open for the long haul, there are adjustments that, obviously, we’ll make as we learn about the facility and traffic patterns,” Rosenthal said, “We will continuously improve, that’s the bottom line”.
Rosenthal told NBC5 there are plenty of swim opportunities every day along with other activities like pickleball and basketball. You might just have to wait in line a little bit before you dive in.
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