SHAWANO, WI – The pool inside the newly renovated Shawano Recreation Center may look familiar when the facility reopens, but nearly everything surrounding it has been upgraded.
Parks and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks says the pool itself was intentionally left largely untouched because of its quality and the cost it would take to replace today.
“If you were to build that pool today, it’d be very expensive,” Hendricks said. “It’s actually a really high quality pool with the tile and the grout that’s in there.”
While the pool structure remains the same, Hendricks says several supporting areas received significant improvements. The locker rooms were renovated to become larger and more accessible, including a family-style option, while the pool deck was completely removed and replaced with new tile.
New Locker Rooms
The pool area also received new lighting, a repainted ceiling, a new diving board and swimsuit dryers.
One of the largest improvements is something visitors may not immediately notice, a completely new HVAC system designed specifically for the pool environment.
“The old system in the past, especially when it got really cold in the winter, we would struggle to maintain proper air and water temperatures,” Hendricks said.
Smaller Locker Room With Bathrooms
He says the new system is expected to reduce those temperature fluctuations and provide a more comfortable environment for swimmers and other visitors throughout the year.
Another noticeable change is along the west wall, where additional windows were installed to provide better views into the pool. Hendricks says that will allow parents and grandparents to watch swim lessons while also giving family members who are not swimming the ability to use other areas of the recreation center.
Showers Inside Locker Rooms
The renovation also improves access between the pool and one of the facility’s rental rooms. Double doors now provide direct access to the pool deck, allowing the space to be used more easily for birthday parties and other pool rentals.
Hendricks says crews also completed maintenance work on the pool itself, including regrouting and installing new filters.
“The pool itself is the same pool, the same tile,” Hendricks said, adding that the goal was to build around one of the facility’s existing strengths. “We’re just hopeful that with what was one of the strengths of the facility, that by adding a few new supportive features that the entire environment is a lot more positive, a lot more enjoyable.”
Comments