Does your facility deserve to win our renovation contest?

[Gary Thill]

Aquatics International is holding a Fix My Facility contest to help a facility in desperate need of a renovation. Is that facility yours? Enter our contest and tell us why your facility should win a special consult with an industry expert to create a renovation game plan.

Tell us in one to two paragraph why your facility needs a Fix My Facility consult. Focus on the big issues at your facility. Is your deck crumbling? Does your aging facility create safety issues? Use this discussion forum to tell us about it and get feedback from other pros.

[Mike Musser]

 

The current situation for our pool is simple, it is structurally failing. The pool is over 50 years old and was run by a community organization for most of those years. Because of the deteriorating condition of the pool, the City stepped in and paid off the debt and began to run the pool. Our hope was to fund the renovation of the pool and the facility but like so many other communities, the economy tanked and we did not have the funding.  Unfortunately for us, the pool did not fix itself!  So we are left to patch a pool that cannot be patched any longer.

This past summer, chips of paint were peeling off the bottom after 2 weeks.  I use the word chips, but they were dinner plate in size and had pieces of concrete and patching material still adhered to them.  We had several incidents of people cutting their feet on the places where the surface was failing.  It has made us discuss whether or not we should even open the pool if we cannot provide a safe platform for people to use.  There are pictures in my album for you to view.

Help.

[Gary Thill]

Thanks for the entry, Mike! Your pool sounds like a perfect candidate for the contest. Good luck!

[Richelle Harvey]

The Aqua Sports Center falls under the Texas Department of Health Administrative Codes - Standards for Swimming Pools.  TITLE 25, PART 1, CHAPTER 265, SUBCHAPTER L, RULE 265.181.  Because the Aqua Sports Center (ASC) was constructed prior to October 1, 1999, it is defined as “pre-10/01/99” per the code. It is required to meet the operational standard that is most applicable to their use.  Areas of the Texas Code in which we may not be compliant or there is a question if we are compliant are identified at the end of the facility needs.

Facility Needs:

Upgrade pool ventilation system

There is poor air circulation in the pool area.  There is minimal control over the air temperature which has a major effect on water temperature control due to water evaporation.  There is no air conditioning system in the pool room.

Upgrade locker room ventilation systems

The electric heaters in the locker rooms fail multiple times each year.  Provide air/heat into the restroom sections of the locker rooms.  Removing the electrical heaters and adding steam heat and air conditioning with air circulation would be important.  There is no control over the air temperature.

Install a.c. unit for office/storage spaces

Currently none of the offices have a.c. and as a result the areas can be extremely hot during summer months.

Pool lighting

 Lighting in the pool area needs to be upgraded.  The indoor pool lighting candle foot needs to be increased for improved clarity.

Repair broken tile

Around the pool, tile has broken or fallen out.  This creates a few areas where sharp edges have the potential to become a hazard to the swimmers.

Deck

The deck has slippery spots that need to be addressed.

1. Deck needs to be replaced.
2. At least three of the deck drains do not function as a result of being closed off or the pipes shifting underneath.  These need to be reopened or replaced.
3. Additional drains need to be put in in order to efficiently drain the deck.

Mechanical/pump room to code

1. 1. Filters, and pool pumps (pH and water balance need replacement)
   2. b.      The filtering and mechanical systems are extremely antiquated and inaccessible to the lifeguard staff.  While complete access is unnecessary, lifeguards should have access to safety equipment. 
   3. Pump room must be able to provide for a turnover rate of once per every eight hours.
   4. Label all pipes to identify the piping function and direction of flow. The name of the liquid or gas and arrows indicating direction of flow must be permanently indicated on the pipe.
   5. Housing of chlorinators, cylinders of chlorine and associated equipment needs to be upgraded and housed in a separate corrosion-resistant reasonably ventilated room with a floor area adequate to the purpose.
   Scuba equipment storage
   1. 1. There is a compressed air tank filling system off of the pool deck.  There is not proper ventilation for this space and inadequate storage.

 

  ADA compliant issues

a.  Access to rest room facilities from the upstairs gym level.

Electrical issues

1. 1. Ensure that all outlets are GFCI.
   2. Bring junction boxes to code.
   3. Electrical disconnecting means shall be accessible, located within sight from the pool, and be located at a distance from the inside wall of the pool.

Additional items:

1. New, safer lifeguard chairs need to replace the chairs that are currently bolted into the ground.
2. Storage closet for HPER equipment & Campus Recreation equipment should be built on deck
3. Paint the interior and exterior of the facility
4. Shower heads that are in the hallways leading to both locker rooms need to be removed.
5. Upstairs gym currently needs the floor to be replaced, the insulation on the walls covered and an accessible restroom.
6. The current office layout should be modified (some walls taken down) in an effort to gain more space and make storage/office spaces “work” better.

Please help us!

[Gary Thill]

Thanks for the great entry, Richelle! Do you have any photos or videos you could post to show us some of the need you're talking about?

[Richelle Harvey]

I do!

[Gary Thill]

Thanks!

[Joe Andrews]

Our facility is like many of the other facilities posted on here. Our pool here in the City of Toledo, Oregon (A town of approximately 3500 people, 8 miles outside of Newport, Oregon and the Pacific Ocean)was originally an outdoor pool that was built in the 1950's, and then the building was build around it in the 1970's. Since then, it has been neglected, and only the minimum repairs where made. In 2011 our City undertook a building facility plan study conducted by an engineering firm to address the deficiencies in our buildings. That plan was just adopted this month by our city council and identified over $500,000 in critical maintenance issues and approximately $2.3 million in deficiencies. I have attached the core of the document which identifies the major needs of the facility (and has some pictures).

In a nutshell some of the major compliance and operational challenges of the facility include:

• Non-recirculating gutters: Currently all the water that goes into our perimeter gutter system is lost to the waste stream. Our deck drains are tied into this system complicating the repair of this major issue. 
• Undersized circulation equipment: The circulation system does not meet modern code requirements for turnover time and flow rate. Also an Tri-Chlor feeder was installed when the Gas Chlorine System was removed several years ago.
• Deteriorating Pool Shell: The painted concrete surfaces are degrading and requiring frequent patches to maintain integrity. There is a large leak (besides the water loss to the gutters).
• Systemic Building Issues: For many years the building was not maintained or had the HVAC system operating in an efficient way (Virtually zero fresh air was brought into the building until recently)
• Major Accessibility Issues: Though some enhancements have been made to keep the pool somewhat accessible the changing facilities are hardly accessible and the decks are uneven.

[Joe Andrews]

The Building Plan is attached to this reply. The pool stuff starts a few pages in and I removed all the detail sheets on all the other City Facilities.

[Gary Thill]

Thanks for the entry, Joe!

[Traci Tenkely]

Folley Pool was orginally built in 1981 and is the smallest, most traditional facility in the City of Chandler, Arizona. With limited waterpark features and not enough space for a true lap lane, this facility prides itself in offering an excellent learn to swim program. There have been a few modifications over the year to add shade, repair the existing deck and new tile in the restrooms but it is currently in need of more help! The deck is contintuing to crack, the plaster is showing its age and the toddler slide is in desperate need of replacement.