Swimply: The app that lets you rent a swimming pool by the hour
With many people staying close to home due to the pandemic, sales of swimming pools have surged and many pool companies are now taking orders for 2022.
But what if you could use someone's pool on a hot summer day for a few hours, and pay them a rental fee?
Enter Swimply: The app that allows homeowners to list and rent out their pool for an hourly fee.
Launched in the U.S. and Canada three years ago, the platform is only now seeing massive growth north of the border since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The idea is that if you have a swimming pool to maintain, but don’t use that often, why not rent it out as a way to earn extra income and let others enjoy your pool?
Elizabeth Luca of Etobicoke has a large in-ground pool, but she doesn’t swim. She wanted it for her grandchildren who now don’t use it very often.
“The pool still needs maintenance. I have to add chemicals every week and maintain things and it was very costly," said Luca.
When Luca found out about the website Swimply she thought it was a great idea.
Luca said so far her guests have mostly been families with children who have been respectful and polite.
“They were terribly, terribly appreciative that I was allowing them to come and use the pool," said Luca.
Sonny Mayugba, VP of growth with Swimply, said during the pandemic there was a huge amount of interest in renting a pool.
“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) said that chlorine pools were a safe place to gather, within your household of course, so Swimply had incredible growth in 2020,” said Mayugba.
Homeowners with pools can set their own hourly rate and Swimply charges a 15 per cent commission.
Swimply says many pool owners are able to make thousands of dollars renting out their pools and a top earner made $87,000 in about 10 months.
“All of our growth in Toronto has been organic and we've been getting quite a few bookings. It's pretty exiting," said Mayugba.
Luca said she has already made more than enough to pay for her annual pool maintenance costs and she's enjoyed seeing her pool get used.
“It’s really heart warming when kids come because when they see the pool there is so much excitement and joy and it makes me feel good," said Luca.
There is another website called Joyspace that hasn't launched yet. But soon it will allow people to rent tennis and basketball courts, docked boats and hot tubs. They will also be offered by owners to be rented by the hour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
The pros and cons of discussing mental health issues in the workplace
A group of lawyers has written what they call a groundbreaking book about how mental health is perceived in the legal profession.