WELCOME

Belair Bath & Tennis Club, Inc., (BBT) is a membership club located at the corner of Belair Drive and Tulip Grove Drive. We would like to welcome you to BBT and hope every visit you make is an enjoyable experience. The rules of BBT have been established for your health and safety. We ask for your cooperation regarding these rules, as they are necessary to protect you, your family, and your guests, as well as to assure quality recreation.

Please give the life guarding staff the respect they deserve. They are present for your protection and will not ask anything unreasonable from you or your family. If ever you find the need to question a situation, please bring that question to the Manager on duty.

DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION

Belair Bath & Tennis Club, Inc. is open from the Memorial Day weekend thru the Labor Day weekend. The swimming season is usually extended for one week after the Labor Day weekend, weather permitting. The weeks prior to school being let out for summer and the week after Labor Day weekend the pool is operating on an abbreviated schedule.                                           All times are weather permitting.
Our Pre-Season schedule is opening at 11:00 am Saturday and Sunday and 12 noon every other day, and closing at 8:00 pm Mondays through Thursdays. Fridays we close at 11:00 pm and Saturdays we close at 9:00 pm.
During our regular season, recreational swimming begins daily at 11:00 am and ends at 9:00 pm, except on Friday when the pool closes at 11:00 pm.
During the extended season after Labor Day, the pool will open at approximately 3:30 p.m. and close at 9:00 p.m. depending upon the availability of staff.
Hours of operation are also dependent upon the extensive social calendar here at BBT. The pool maintains a social program for all members. Prior notice of these events is posted on the pool calendar and at the pool.

IMPORTANT SAFETY RULE

In the event of an electrical storm (at the sound of thunder or the sighting of lightning) the pool will close immediately and remain closed for 30 minutes after the last sighting of lightning or sound of thunder. When a downpour prohibits the lifeguard from seeing the bottom of the diving area the pool will close.

GENERAL RULES AND POLICIES

Belair Bath & Tennis, Inc. assumes no liability for personal property of members, guests or employees.
No membership business will be conducted at, or by the staff, at the entrance gate. All questions, requests and problems shall be referred to the Chair of the Membership committee or the Secretary of the Board of Directors.
A member who rents out his home in Bowie may temporarily transfer the membership, on an annual basis, only to his tenant. A member who exercises this option may not use the club facilities himself.
Members will be required to identify themselves by account number, last name or e-mail address before being admitted to the club grounds.
Members may request the usage of a portion of the pool for their own use (this includes school events) and are subject to the approval of the pool manager.
Glass containers are not permitted on the pool grounds.
Smoking is permitted on Belair Bath and Tennis grounds in the designated smoking areas.
Skateboards, roller skates and rollerblades cannot be used on BBT property.
Please lock all bikes in the bike rack.
No unauthorized entry into the office or the guardroom.
Lost and found items are kept in the storeroom; these items are discarded approximately every two weeks.
Valuable items may be claimed at the front desk or from a member of management.
Any person(s) on BBT grounds after hours without proper authority may be prosecuted for trespassing. Any person apprehended may be held for questioning by the police if it is determined by the pool management to be necessary. In any case of vandalism of property, the person(s) apprehended will be turned over to the police for prosecution. In any case that the person(s) apprehended fails to properly identify him/her self to the pool management, that person will be turned over to the police for prosecution.
No personal grills are allowed on BBT property.
All coolers will be checked upon entry for glass.
The Rules and By-Laws Committee will review all situations not expressly covered by these rules when a written request is submitted to the committee.

ADMISSION RULES
Please stop at the front desk to give your membership number, last name or e-mail address, please wait while the gate guard verifies this information.
Please be patient when checking in if the desk is busy.
All children under the age of 13 (member of non-member) must be accompanied by an adult, a responsible member, or a babysitter at least 16 years old, at all times.
In order to be admitted to the club grounds, members over the age of 21 (excepting the two heads of household) must show proof that they reside at the address of record for the membership.
All guests and non-members who are visiting the club are subject to the appropriate guest fees. These fees shall be paid even if the guest if not swimming or playing tennis.
Members under the age of 18 may have no more than 2 guests at the pool.
Guest fees are: All Guests — $10.00, children under the age of 2 – no charge, maximum charge for one family — $50.00 (a family is – parents and their children).
Guest fees are non-refundable.
Guest passes are on sale for members to purchase on the website.  6 punches for $50, a discount of $10. These passes are automated with the Website and Check in Kiosk and will be deducted from your account upon each use for entry. Passes may not be sold back to the pool, but will remain on your account and can rollover year to year.
Please check your guests in personally, members are responsible for seeing that guest fees are paid and that your guests know the pool rules. Members must stay with their guests while they are at the pool.
All babysitting arrangements must be approved by the Board of Directors or a designee. Babysitting (Special Exception Forms) are available online and must be filled out completely.
For a pool member who sits a non-member’s child: $75 per season for each child. These children may use the pool only when accompanied by the pool member.
For a non-member who is babysitting a member’s child: $75 per season.
This person may use the pool only when accompanied by a member child.
If there is an emergency, please see a member of management.

DECK RULES
WALK (do not run) on the deck, at all times.
Do not push, shove or engage in any other form of horseplay on the pool deck.
Respect others; control your language.
Food is permitted on the deck, please dispose of trash in trash cans.
Do not chew gun or spit while on the deck.
Use pool furniture for its intended use – chairs and lounges for sitting only, do not stand on the chairs, tables or benches.
Do not stand, walk, or run on the brick or stone walls.
Put all trash and recyclables in the proper receptacles.
Refrain from bouncing balls on the deck.
Please do not bang Ping-Pong paddles on the tables.
Please hit Ping-Pong balls on the table, not against walls, etc.
Please play radios, etc., so only you can appreciate your music.

POOL RULES
Only bathing suits are considered appropriate attire for swimming. Swim shirts may be worn. Be advised that pool chemicals may affect them. Cut-offs are not permitted for swimming.
Individuals who appear to present a health hazard i.e., measles, chicken pox, open cuts, etc., will be requested by the management to refrain from swimming.
Persons wearing Band-Aids or bandages are required to remove them prior to entering the pool.
Do not dive into water less than 5 feet deep, a red line on the deck indicates the NO DIVE areas.
When entering the five-foot area of the pool, please either jump or dive. Jump forward, feet first (no “can openers or cannonballs”), or dive with hands entering first (no “sailor dives,” back dives or flips).
Ladders and steps are used to enter and exit the pool only. Do not swing on the handrails.
Children who have not passed the basic test administered by the pool manager or his designee, or children whom the pool manager or his designee may deem at risk, are required to swim in the shallow sections of the main pool and are not allowed in the deeper sections of the main pool, including the diving area.
All swimmers under the age of 16 will be required to take a 15-minute break every hour. We feel that this break is necessary to prevent children from becoming overtired while at the pool. Children who have been in the main pool are not permitted to swim in the baby pool during the rest period.
Children in diapers and those not toilet trained must wear double protection and also be in the arms of an adult when in the main pool.
All pool footwear must have white non-scuffing soles.
Do not hang on the rope lanes.
Only non-breakable eye wear (goggles) is permitted in the pool. Masks, fins and snorkels are not permitted for recreational use.
While in the pool, please keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Throwing objects or people are not allowed.
Only lap swimming is permitted in the swimming lanes.
Training tools such as a kick board, pull buoy or flippers may be used only in the lap lanes, please notify the lifeguard on duty.
Parent/Guardian must closely watch children at all times. Parent/Guardian must accompany a non-swimmer in the water at all times.
For the purpose of supporting non-swimmers, inner tubes, water wings, and all other flotation devices are not permitted at any time. For safety purposes, only a life vest approved by the United States Coast Guard is to be used. If a child uses such a life vest, a parent or guardian must accompany the child in the water at all times.
Prolonged underwater swimming, breath-holding or games including such behavior is prohibited.

WELL RULES
The use of the well, including diving board and slide board, is limited to those who have not been drinking and/or who, deemed by the management, will not create a hazard to themselves or others.
Young persons must earn a swim band by passing a basic swim test before using the well.
The basic swim test consists of: swimming to the middle of the diving well, stopping and treading water for 30 seconds, then continue swimming.
Once a lifeguard has passed a child, their name will be recorded and a swim band will be issued.
The swim band must be worn on the ankle while at the pool.

DIVING BOARD RULES
The diving well is sloped on all four sides. Each diver should avoid diving out to the far slope where the water is not at its maximum depth.
Only one person is allowed on the diving board at a time.
Take no more than one bounce on the board.
Jump or dive straight out off of the end of the diving board, NOT off of the side.
Each person must wait until the diver ahead has reached the ladder before diving.
Swim directly to the ladder after going off the board. Do not swim to the wall.

SLIDING BOARD RULES
Only one person on the ladder/stairs at a time.
Each person must wait on the top step until the person ahead has reached the pool ladder before stepping onto the platform.
You must slide feet first, in a sitting position.
Swim directly to the ladder after exiting the tube. Do not swim to the wall.

BABY POOL RULES
The use of the baby pool is limited to those who do not swim in the main pool.
Food is allowed in the baby pool area.
Glass containers are not allowed, i.e., baby food jars, etc.
When exiting thru the gate allow only your child out of the baby pool area. Please keep the gate closed and latched.
Please be attentive to the children under your supervision; there is no lifeguard on duty inside the baby pool enclosure.
A responsible adult must accompany children. Parents and babysitters are responsible for their children.
Children should play in a positive, non-violent manner to avoid injury to themselves or others.
Only floats that will not cause a dangerous situation in the baby pool are allowed, i.e., hard plastic floats could hurt a child if they were to fall on it, very large floats can knock a child down and/or keep a childe submerged.
Only toys that can be seen underwater are allowed. Clear plastic toys cannot be seen underwater and are easily stepped on; an injury is soon to follow.
Only a bathing suit and a swim shirt are appropriate for swimming.
Only footwear with non-marking, white soles are allowed in the pool.
The baby pool should be stepped into; no jumping or diving into the pool.
All chairs must be kept on the deck; they are not allowed in the water.
Chairs must be kept out of the designated area next to the gate to allow the lifeguards an unobstructed view into the baby pool area.
Lounge chairs are to be kept along the back and far sides of the area where the deck is wider.
Children playing in the baby pool are not allowed to climb on the fence.
Throwing objects in the baby pool area is not permitted.

PLAYGROUND AREA
Shoes should be worn for the protection of feet.
Parents are responsible for their children and their actions
One person on the slide at a time.
No horseplay.

TENNIS COURT RULES
ACCESS TO THE TENNIS COURTS:
When the pool is open the courts must be accessed thru the pool area (the front door of the pool).
When the pool is closed courts 1-6 may be accessed thru the gate next to the stables.
This gate is to be kept locked.
A key for the gate may be purchased during the pool season from the front desk and in the off-season from the pool President.
Tennis shoes must be worn on the courts at all times.
Please deposit all trash in the trash cans.
The backboard may be used between the hours of 10 am and 9 pm only.
Please use the fence gates; do not climb the fences.
Team matches and lessons have priority over recreational play.
Play is limited to one hour for singles and one and a half hours for doubles when others are waiting for courts.
Courts 1-6 may be used for scheduled tennis lessons when the instructor deems necessary or when the number of students exceeds 24.

MANAGERS AUTHORITY
The manager or his designee has overall responsibility over BBT facilities, including, but not limited to the pool, tennis courts, snack bar area, playground, basketball courts and other facilities. The manager or his designee has been given the authority by the Board of Directors to enforce these rules.

Update February 2023