Updated Elk Grove aquatics facility reopens today
The Elk Grove Park District today will unveil its refurbished Pavilion Aquatics Center, which has undergone some $9 million worth of renovations since last April.
The facility now includes a new warm water therapy pool, an expanded eight-lane, 25-yard lap pool with diving area, and updated lagoon pool, whirlpool, steam room, locker rooms and showers.
Come spring, construction crews will put the finishing touches on the project, with completion of a reconfigured six-lane, 25-yard outdoor lap pool.
The park district is hosting a free opening event from 1 to 4 p.m. today at the Pavilion, 1000 Wellington Ave., that will include swim time in the new pools, games, raffles and prizes.
The indoor portion of the project is complete ahead of schedule, since it was estimated last April that the work would take a year to complete. Officials are still targeting Memorial Day weekend for the opening of the outdoor pool.
The 12-foot-deep indoor pool was upgraded from six to eight lanes and now has a diving board. While the pool will be host to swim lessons, aqua fitness classes and the park district’s competitive swim team, at least two lanes will always be kept open for lap swimmers, according to Jon Pratscher, the park district’s aquatics manager.
“We’re able to accommodate a variety of needs,” Pratscher said.
The new warm water therapy pool is located in a building addition adjacent to the existing lagoon pool room. The new pool sits on ground that had been the deck of the outdoor pool.
Ranging from 3 to 5 feet in depth, the warm water pool will be used for aqua aerobics classes. Pratscher said one of the reasons park district officials decided to add the amenity is because there aren’t similar therapy pools in the area.
To make room for the new warm water pool, the direction of the outdoor pool changed from north-south to east-west. Once the weather improves, crews will finish work outside, Pratscher said.
In addition, a new heating and cooling system was installed throughout the aquatics center to improve air quality. In the old facility, “the humidity level was way up. You would have been sweating,” Pratscher said.
Now, the system ensures that whatever the water temperature is, the air temperature is automatically 2 degrees higher, he said.
The indoor lap pool will be kept at an average temperature of 82 degrees and the warm water therapy pool at 91 degrees.
The upgrades are being funded largely through an $8.6 million bond issued in 2013.
The aquatics center is hosting a free program showcase Feb. 3-8 for residents to sample aqua health and fitness classes.