Long-Awaited Pools To Open July 17

                                                 photos by Chris Zielin

Reeve T. Schley
Mirror staff writer

   Two new pools that stretch for several city blocks on the Santa Monica College (SMC) Campus will open July 17, after years of planning and $8.3 million in construction and high-tech equipment costs.
   Covered in blue tiles, the post-modern structure is located at 16th Street and Pico Boulevard and includes both a 50-meter Olympic size pool and a ten lane, 80-foot by 75-foot instructional and recreational pool.
   The old facility, considered “hidden” on the college campus, consisted of an outdated pool and diving well. It was demolished in December of 2000.
   “The old facility which had been there for 40 years was a much-loved and used facility that had completed its life. We’ve now increased the amount of meeting room, deck, and pool surface area by over 100 percent,” said Julie Rusk, Human Services Manager for Santa Monica Aquatics (SMA).
   Situated next to the football arena just off 16th Street, the new structure is center stage on the campus and is already seen as an elite facility for racing and competition in the City.
   “This is a pool that could produce some very fast swimming times in competition,” said Clark Dikeman, Program Supervisor for SMA. “Water flows over the top of each pool, so it doesn’t come off the wall and slow you down.”
   SMC has already produced many swimming and diving greats, including three time Olympic back-stroke gold medalist Lenny Krayzelburg.
   “I think the new facility will have an outstanding impact on our teams. We now have the ability to offer a first class pool that is going to be unmatched in the community college swimming ranks,” said Charlie Wright, director of athletics for SMC. “It will push us to the forefront of recruiting, as well as to the forefront of preparation and competition.”
   The architectural designer of the pool Wade Killeford, wanted to create a pool that would stand the test of time while being suitable for both competition and teaching.
   “We have a really long façade along 16th Street, wanted to break up the long expanse we did that with rhythmic columns that carry sound panels,” Killeford said, noting that circular glass windows were added along the façade so that people driving by could see people swimming and know the pools were open to the public.
   To minimize the costs of running the facility, the college and City have a joint agreement that will optimize pool use, while driving down maintenance costs that could exceed $800,000 a year for utilities and chemicals.
   Last week workers applied the finishing touches on the project, including a fence on top of a nearby parking lot to prevent collegians from trying to make the 20-foot jump into the deep end of the Olympic pool.
   By all accounts, the design of the facility is state-of-the-art. Sitting a few centimeters higher than its containing walls, the pools’ water remains uncannily placid due to a constant runoff into the surrounding gutters. This design permits the wake to go over the walls and prevents water from reverberating backwards.
   Each day, over 4 million gallons of water wash into the gutters before plunging down into a virtual underground city of heaters, filters, and electronic monitors. There the is heated, treated, and flushed through a rapid-sand filter before making its way back into the pool.
   The machinery keeps the water temperature running at different levels, while monitors are poised to call five different people if a problem arises in the chemical levels of the water. Chemical levels can also be checked from any touch-tone phone in the world.
   The men’s and women’s changing rooms are complete with a bag-check and showers; meeting room; sun deck; and outdoor lockers.
   A master swim program is available for adult swimmers, and there are two team programs for children and teens. Pool neighbor John Adams Middle School will now offer aquatics as part of its PE program.
   Swimming classes will be offered to over 3,000 people a week, and the pools will be open to the public daily for lap swimming and diving. A six-week swimming course starts at $18 for children, and lap swimming ranges from 50 cents for a resident child, to $5 for a non-resident adult.
   Free swimming for all will be offered on the weekend following the July 17 opening.