I'm currently in the process of putting together a committee to start planning for a new aquatic facility in our area. I'm asking all of you to help me make a list of the things that should go into a facility if you had unlimited resources and space. I want to start my project with the biggest dream possible and then have it brought back to earth by money limitations, etc.
What I'm looking for are comments about our own facilities features that work well, that you would never do again, that you would change, that you would do differently, and what you wish you could have. I want to hear from experience.... What makes your facility work so well or why you pool is the arm pit of pools. Here is an example:
I've learned from one pool that they should have built a permanent wall between their lap pool and their zero depth entry rec. pool. The building is so noisy they can barely run a meet if people are in the recreation pool. Don't leave anything untouched (pool size, deck space, configuration, locker rooms, office space, outdoor facilities, observation seating, etc.)
Our initial plan is to build a 50 meter indoor, with adjacent recreation pool, and an outdoor splash area for the hot summers. We are one mile above sea level and our winters go from October to May. I'm hoping all you can help with the things you have all learned from the many years we have been swimming.
Oh, where to begin. One thing to do is to first separate out all of the different use cases for the pool, and then make lists of important items for each of those different use cases. Some use cases:
* General recreational swimming
* Swim lessons
* Club (USS/Masters/etc.) training/workout
* College training/workout
* Diving club training/workout
* Water polo training/workout
* Synchronized swimming training/workout
* "Normal" in-season competition, for swimming, water polo, diving, synchro
* "Championship" competition, for swimming, water polo, diving, synchro
Each of those use cases puts different pulls on your facility. Some things off the top of my head:
* Spectator seating. I would advocate making the spectator area quite separate from the pool deck, with a few access points from the pool deck, which are easily regulated (with a door or a person, etc.).
* Concessions. Build a space with a concession stand in mind. This includes requirements for refrigeration, secure storage (so people don't steal candybars between sessions), and lots of electrical (to power a pizza oven, microwave, hot dog steamer, and coffee pot).
* Lots of lighting that can be varried. I.e., you'll want more light during competition, but during other times, less light.
* A good, high fidelity, sound system. It needs to work well for both voice and music. You should have appropriate mic inputs in more places than you ever think you'll need them. And include line-level inputs in appropriate places (such as a timing control area), where you can directly connect a sound source, or a mixer, etc.
* Lots of electricity. Obviously on appropriate ground fault circuits. But lots of different circuits so you can spread the trip risk around and not lose everything.
* Think of running a big meet - you'll need some space that is accessible from the deck for meet operations, timers meetings, officials meetings, etc. Meet operations stuff should be enclosed and air conditioned, but with high visibility to the pool deck. This should have lots of power.
* Cable pulls. Wherever you're running cables, run big fat conduits, bigger than you'll ever need, with cable pulls in them, so you can pull more cable later.
* Network/internet. These days, more and more are running networked versions of meet manager, and posting results online immediately, etc. Need internet and network connectivity everywhere.
* Storage. It's impossible to have too much storage at a pool. Consider making some or all of your storage climate-controlled, especially humidity-controlled. I.e., if you'll have lots of touchpads and other electronic equipment, you'll want to store them in a dry location, which is hard to find in a pool. Allocate tons of compartmentalized space, so that everything can have a home, and different things can be locked up by different people.
* However much deck space you have, it is never enough. Make more deck space. And buy portable seating platforms for teams to sit on for those big meets.
* When running a meet, big or small, you need a place to post results, heat sheets, etc. Tile walls work well for this. Painted walls don't. Anywhere you have wall space, make it tiled so it can be taped on, and not a painted surface or other 'fragile' surface.
* Your locker rooms aren't big enough. Still not.
* Design the building so there is a way straight onto the pool deck without going through the locker rooms. This pathway should be controllable, either with a locked door, or a person, etc.
* Pace clocks. Invest in some digital ones that are all synchronized. (We use wireless DAktronics pace clocks.) Put them at every corner of the pool, facing both directions for super high visibility.
* Hospitality. Where would you put a hospitality area for coaches at a big meet?
Those are just some thoughts off the top of my head.
-Rick
Oh, where to begin. One thing to do is to first separate out all of the different use cases for the pool, and then make lists of important items for each of those different use cases. Some use cases:
* General recreational swimming
* Swim lessons
* Club (USS/Masters/etc.) training/workout
* College training/workout
* Diving club training/workout
* Water polo training/workout
* Synchronized swimming training/workout
* "Normal" in-season competition, for swimming, water polo, diving, synchro
* "Championship" competition, for swimming, water polo, diving, synchro
Each of those use cases puts different pulls on your facility. Some things off the top of my head:
* Spectator seating. I would advocate making the spectator area quite separate from the pool deck, with a few access points from the pool deck, which are easily regulated (with a door or a person, etc.).
* Concessions. Build a space with a concession stand in mind. This includes requirements for refrigeration, secure storage (so people don't steal candybars between sessions), and lots of electrical (to power a pizza oven, microwave, hot dog steamer, and coffee pot).
* Lots of lighting that can be varried. I.e., you'll want more light during competition, but during other times, less light.
* A good, high fidelity, sound system. It needs to work well for both voice and music. You should have appropriate mic inputs in more places than you ever think you'll need them. And include line-level inputs in appropriate places (such as a timing control area), where you can directly connect a sound source, or a mixer, etc.
* Lots of electricity. Obviously on appropriate ground fault circuits. But lots of different circuits so you can spread the trip risk around and not lose everything.
* Think of running a big meet - you'll need some space that is accessible from the deck for meet operations, timers meetings, officials meetings, etc. Meet operations stuff should be enclosed and air conditioned, but with high visibility to the pool deck. This should have lots of power.
* Cable pulls. Wherever you're running cables, run big fat conduits, bigger than you'll ever need, with cable pulls in them, so you can pull more cable later.
* Network/internet. These days, more and more are running networked versions of meet manager, and posting results online immediately, etc. Need internet and network connectivity everywhere.
* Storage. It's impossible to have too much storage at a pool. Consider making some or all of your storage climate-controlled, especially humidity-controlled. I.e., if you'll have lots of touchpads and other electronic equipment, you'll want to store them in a dry location, which is hard to find in a pool. Allocate tons of compartmentalized space, so that everything can have a home, and different things can be locked up by different people.
* However much deck space you have, it is never enough. Make more deck space. And buy portable seating platforms for teams to sit on for those big meets.
* When running a meet, big or small, you need a place to post results, heat sheets, etc. Tile walls work well for this. Painted walls don't. Anywhere you have wall space, make it tiled so it can be taped on, and not a painted surface or other 'fragile' surface.
* Your locker rooms aren't big enough. Still not.
* Design the building so there is a way straight onto the pool deck without going through the locker rooms. This pathway should be controllable, either with a locked door, or a person, etc.
* Pace clocks. Invest in some digital ones that are all synchronized. (We use wireless DAktronics pace clocks.) Put them at every corner of the pool, facing both directions for super high visibility.
* Hospitality. Where would you put a hospitality area for coaches at a big meet?
Those are just some thoughts off the top of my head.
-Rick
