Perfect Pool?

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve been asked to give feedback on the design of a new pool that’s being built in a sister sports Club.

Some points on the drawing board:
Individual built-in clocks in every lane.
Underwater music.
Distance markers on the floor, maybe motivational tiles.

It’s a multi-use pool and my initial thoughts were that there has to be minimum laps available at all times, no times when the pool is blocked off for aerobics, kids swimming lessons etc.

What characteristics would make you definitely want to join a Club/Pool?

2

deep water

proper side and end gutters
.

3

Honestly,

I wouldn’t personally care about the tiles/markers, music or clocks. I would echo the other poster- deep water, proper gutters, as many lanes as possible, proper swimming temp and accessible to lap swimming all day. An adjacent extra-large hot tub would seal the deal for me.

4

Thanks guys. How deep are you talking? A deep end for diving? Thanks.

5

The deep water and side gutters for sure plus plenty of large-ish synchronized clocks. The 2 Y’s I use when not swimming masters only have 1 clock…one of which is too far away to read easily.

6

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/84/08/c58408682bbe05e291c3fb971654485f.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/86/02/9e/86029ee27db68e60461e4daccd78f773.jpg
https://www.iu.edu/~images/dams/mnq3ven4ia_actual.jpg
https://champ-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iCD_SDC-6225-1280x0-c-default.jpg
.

7

2m deep at a minimum, with ledges built in at the ends to stand on between intervals. 2.5m/lane wide at a minimum… that’s FINA standard, some American pools are 25y wide for 8 lanes which is even more spacious… no problems swimming fly/breast in circle swim. Any kids’ area/shallow water should be built off to the side though it can be connected to the main pool. Flow through gutters, good 6 or 8" lane lines. Visibile/digital pace clocks, synchronized, at all 4 corners. Diving boards are a waste of pool space, and an insurance squeeze… only if they absolutely want them for recreation swim times and in that case the deep end needs to be 4m deep minimum, sometimes deeper depending on local ordinances. Backstroke flags - you shouldn’t even have to say that but you never know - set at 5y/5m depending on if your pool is going to be 25y/25m (or 50m).

8

I’ve been asked to give feedback on the design of a new pool that’s being built in a sister sports Club.

Some points on the drawing board:
Individual built-in clocks in every lane.
Underwater music.
Distance markers on the floor, maybe motivational tiles.

It’s a multi-use pool and my initial thoughts were that there has to be minimum laps available at all times, no times when the pool is blocked off for aerobics, kids swimming lessons etc.

What characteristics would make you definitely want to join a Club/Pool?

is it long course or short course?

I can tell you from swimming at one of our local pools, which is pretty new and should be awesome, that they need to make sure the walls are not made of slippery tiles. The walls there are so slick that it’s useless for competition. Plus they keep it far too warm.

9

I’ve been asked to give feedback on the design of a new pool that’s being built in a sister sports Club.

Some points on the drawing board:
Individual built-in clocks in every lane.
Underwater music.
Distance markers on the floor, maybe motivational tiles.

It’s a multi-use pool and my initial thoughts were that there has to be minimum laps available at all times, no times when the pool is blocked off for aerobics, kids swimming lessons etc.

What characteristics would make you definitely want to join a Club/Pool?

Pool Stuff

2-3m Deep. If you want a shallow area, put a second pool in, or an offshoot from the main pool.

Proper gutters

Lots of lanes available

<80F water temp

No Music

Pool markings that are correct (Don’t have the t-line at a non-standard distance from the wall.)

Good Ventilation

Decent Clocks with good visibility, but it’s not necessary to have on in each lane. If you did decide to put them in each lane, it would be nice to have one at each end synced together. But really, there’s no need for individual clocks.

Non-Pool stuff

Good Locker Rooms and Showers

Swimsuit Water Extractors that work

Relatively Inexpensive

10

First of all, how big can this pool be? I assume it is 25yd/meters, but how wide??Most sport clubs only have 3 lanes usually, does this one have more room?

Honestly if it is a sports club type pool, have somewhat of a deep end, they will have to have a shallow for the aqua aerobics, but try and have that up to 4ft if possible. The thing they can do, as they probably will not have overflow gutters(great if they do, but that is lots of extra money), build in an extra foot on the outside of each outside lane for a lane line, that will knock down waves by a ton. Definitely have lane lines and turn markers, and make sure it is a salt water pool.

Salt is great for them too, it costs less, is less to maintain, and is way better for the swimmers. I built my own backyard pool that was 4 lanes x 25 yards, they can ask me how I made it waveless without overflow gutters and big tanks…

But size, we need to know what the footprint is first…

11

Those are great competition pools, also great for training.

I think often about what I would do in designing a pool. My first priority would not necessarily to make it a top-level, competition-ready pool. There are plenty of those in the USA, and not enough meets to justify the cost of adding those features that would be needed to make the pool elite (seating, timing system, scoreboards, control rooms, pool finishes, etc). Making it with enough features to make it available for fast swimming in a few meets a year would be great, enough of what’s needed.

One of my favorite training pools ever is EPIC, in Fort Collins. Plenty of lanes, altitude, long-course, etc. It’s also deep enough for some fast swimming, but shallow in some areas for standing in between reps and sets. When I think about the place I’d like to build, I keep EPIC in mind, along with places like Austin, Indy, Stanford, and the Olympic pools.

My ideas on my aquatic center. The emphasis is on training opportunities for as many swimmers as possible (club, HS, masters, tri) with some opportunities for meets:

Main pool:

  1. 50m (actually, 51.5 with a bulkhead) x 25y. 9 Lanes for the 50m length (8’ lane width), 18 lanes for 25m, 19-21 for short course yards (also 8’ lane width).
  2. One bulkhead, 1.5m/4’ wide, which is parked most of the time at the 25m mark, so that there is a walkway for coaches so they can see both 25y or 25m pools.
    NOTE: since USA Swimming and HS swimming require a 25y pool, most of the time that the pool is set for short course, the pool will be set up 25y across.
  3. 6" lane ropes (max size available for FINA competition
  4. 13’ to 4.5" depth (only 1m diving boards available)
  5. flat-deck gutters for better air circulation
  6. Paddock Evacuator air-handling system
  7. Synchronized digital pace clocks throughout the space
  8. sliding doors that open around the space during warm weather, but that seal and insulate well
  9. water temp 79-80 year-round, 78 for meets or special training days

More lanes equals more groups and more rentals. Let other pools host big meets.

Programming pool:

  1. 25y/m x 6 lanes, with a shallow area for lessons and play features
  2. depth 4’ (lanes) to 0 depth (play areas)
  3. water temps 83-85, but programmable for various needs

Both Pools:
The usual suite of filtration and sanitation features (UV, cal hypo, CO2 injection, regenerative media)

There would be a commitment to have the pool be long course Fr-Sunday throughout the year, and W-Sunday in the summer.

I’d also like to explore the option of the “KILLER APP:” a bulkhead that can be split, so that half the pool remains short course, while the other half is long course. Say, for example: 5 lanes long course, then 4 + 4 lanes short course meters with the sectional bulkhead:

http://www.myrthapools.com/en/references/hallenbad-buchholz-uster-switzerland/

12

I swam club for 6 years in the King County Aquatics Center, the pool second from the bottom. Kinda ruined me for every pool I’ve swum in since.

13

Rose Bowl Aquatic Center is my fav. I haven’t swam at USC since the renovation but it looks amazing.

14

Agreed on the distance markers/ music being superfluous. For me I would say the following

-Wide lanes, to at least Fina standard, if not more
-50m long (plus room for bulkheads) x 25 yards wide x >2m deep, with ledges on ALL walls to rest
-These gutters
http://oi66.tinypic.com/10geefa.jpg
-Kept at a nice cool temperature (76 degrees, fight me)
-Textured concrete walls, no tile, especially on the “T”
-Concrete deck
-Showers immediately off the pool deck, with plenty of hooks and area for people to towel BEFORE GOING TO THE LOCKER ROOM
-If I’m being bougie, heated floors are super nice
-Really good drainage everywhere
-Synchronized digital clocks

I haven’t been in a while, but the 50m pool at the Greenknoll YMCA in Brookfield CT is one of my favorite training pools anywhere. Ticks almost all the boxes (just a little narrower and shallower bc its used by a summer camp), and is just a great no frills pool to crank out yards.

15

That’s IUPUI in Indianapolis - the Mecca of swimming. Most permanent seating of any pool in the USA

16

+1 on the type of tile used. Pools that use the larger tiles - 4in x 4in and larger - are generally the ones I’ve hated the most. The small tiles (2in and less) mean more grout, which means more traction when doing tumble turns or just clinging to the side of the pool at the deep end.

A ledge at water height around the pool with filters. This minimizes waves, particularly for people in the outer lanes. If you have only a wall, the wave slaps against that and comes right back at you as you’re swimming. A ledge (leading to a wall in some cases) at least slows down or reduces that wave.

Avoid built-in steps in the lane area. Those are the kind that look like they’re rising out of the floor of the pool. I’ve seen people swimming with their heads down going right up those steps and hitting their head on them. Other people will linger on them, causing swimmers to be unsure about what’s going on and stopping or moving over into another person’s path.

A shallow end and a deep end, with the shallow end being at least 5ft.

The two best pools I ever used were the pool at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa and the pool at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. They were safe, intuitive, and versatile.

17

That’s IUPUI in Indianapolis - the Mecca of swimming. Most permanent seating of any pool in the USA

yeah, I still haven’t had a chance to swim there yet. Next time I’m in Indy I’m definitely going.

Last time I was there I swam at the Riviera Club, which was pretty cool in it’s own way. First time I’d ever swum in a LCY pool.

18

That’s the pool at IUPUI in Indianapolis, though WKCAC is designed almost exactly like IUPUI.

19

Well this take me back a couple of decades when I was a club swimmer at the Riviera and all the big meets were held at the Nat (the name of the IUPUI pool).

The Rivi pool was and I presume still is unheated. The beginning and end of outdoor season were always brutally cold and I can remember the coach having to stop workouts short because everyones lips, fingers etc were turning blue. In terms of space though its a pretty unique and massive setup.

20

Where are these pools??? Having a decent pool and good masters group is very high on my “where I want to retire” list.