Georgia State’s Aquatics Center will be undergoing extensive renovations, beginning Nov. 1, 2015. The pool will be closed, and reopen Jan. 10, 2016, according to Recreational Services.
Aquatics Center Coordinator of Operations Adam Penn said the renovations include resurfacing the lap swim pool, replacing all in-water lights, updating pool ladders and leak repairs. He also said the renovations were combined to limit multiple pool drainings. The entire project will cost approximately $150,000.
“The necessary repairs to the gutter systems and main drains require draining the pool. The aging pool liner can only be dry for a limited time before degrading, so the projects were combined,” Penn said.
Penn also said the industry standard for pool resurfacing is 10 to 12 years. The plaster at the bottom of the pool has outlived its lifespan, and costs more to maintain.
“We resurfaced our Indian Creek Recreation Area (ICRA) pool 5 years ago, the Georgia State Student Recreation Center (SRC) leisure pool 3 years ago and the SRC spa 5 years ago,” he said.
He said the repairs will impact sustainability practices, and repairing the leaks will help the Aquatics Center save water. The money for renovations will be used from the Recreation Center’s repairs and renovations account.
“The repairs are driven by the rising cost of maintaining an aging pool as well as to comply with codes that were not in place when the pool was built,” he said.
Penn anticipates the repairs completed before the start of Spring Semester. All other programs within the Student Center will remain open during regular hours, according to Penn. Registration for water programs will begin on Jan.10 and the classes on Jan. 19.
Babatunde Fhekony, Georgia State exercise science major, said he believes the downtime to repair the pool will be well worth it, even though his exercise regimen will be limited due to the close.
“If the pool closes, since I commute to campus, I have to find a new source of cardio,” he said.
All aquatic activities for the fall semester were developed with the pool closure in mind to maximize programming, said Penn. Spring semester aquatics program plans that include swim classes, safety instruction and water fitness are currently in development.
Fhekony said he will return to the pool during the spring, due to his relationship with the aquatics staff and his progress with the swim classes.
“It’s so much cheaper to learn to swim here, the instructors are relatable, and you never know when you’ll end up in a lake and have to save somebody,” he said.
