Northcliffe Pool

Northcliffe Pool is one of the few recreation facilities in the Clayton Park area. As such, it fills a need — but it’s definitely seen better days.
We’ve visited for both open swims and for swimming lessons. As another reviewer commented, the pool was very busy during lessons and it was distracting for the children and hard for them to keep focused on their own lesson when there was so much going on around them.
Northcliffe could seriously benefit from some renovations. The women’s locker and change area is sadly out of date and is always running wet with water (and who knows what else!). There’s nowhere dry to stand when you’re trying to get changed, and the room is wide-​open to everyone, with no private booths.
There are family dressing rooms, but in a very small number. In addition to being in high demand (requiring a wait of up to 20 minutes after swim time has ended), the rooms are cramped and barely fit a parent and child. Additionally, single swimmers line up for these rooms, extending the wait times. If some private booths were built into the change rooms, perhaps that would lessen the demand on the family rooms.
The staff are highly competent and friendly; we’ve never had an issue with any of the pool or front desk staff.
A note to fellow parents watching lessons: when they say no shoes on the pool deck, this means you!

Northcliffe is located in the Clayton Park area. It is very easy to miss as the sign in front is rather small and does not stand out. You get one shot to make the turn, after that you are driving for a bit before you can turn around. And you can only turn one way to enter. A little strange setup.
The pool itself is in an L-​shape, 25 metre with 6 lanes. We were there for swimming lessons. I have to say, those teachers really had to keep track of what was happening. It seemed like there were about 15 different lessons at the same time going on in different areas. The pool is not that big to me.
The pool area is very hot, as expected, but if you are watching lessons, dress light. There is no real area to sit and view, which is a downer.
The dressing rooms need a major face lift. They are old school and I never found them very clean. The washrooms, well that is another story.
There is a family change room. I did not go into this area, so I can not comment. I will say it is a very busy spot. But that may be because it is the only pool in the area.
The staff is very nice and helpful, as well as the instructors.
Northcliffe could use a makeover for sure, gee even a fresh coat of paint inside would be great.