Pool to get new dome and depth

By Rachel Kramer

The MHCCD board Wednesday approved a plan to renovate and repair the Aquatic Center.

The plan includes repairs and upgrades to the existing infrastructure, upgrades to high-efficiency energy units and increased revenue via new customers and events.
One of the changes includes the purchase of a seasonal air dome over the 50-meter pool. This would allow the pool to be used year round.

According to Brandon Drawz, aquatics supervisor, the pool was not designed to be shut off every year like it has been. It takes three months to get the pool back online for two and a half months. The dome, which takes days to put up or take down, will allow year round use.

“Three days to put up a dome is better than three months to get the pool online,” Drawz said.

According to Steve Flanagan, president of Yeadar Domes, the life of the dome will be approximately 18-20 years.
With the proposed changes, the Aquatics Center could be both a community center and a competition center.

According to John McIlargy, director of project development for USA Swimming, with the proposed improvements, MHCC will be one of 25 aquatic centers in the United States that will be able to hold a national competition, and only one of three in the Northwest.
Although board members expressed concern over problems that may be discovered during the renovations, Duke Shepard, board member of zone 3, said, “If we don’t find [problems,] they may find us.”

Cindy Simmons, a representative from the Oregon School Athletic Association, also expressed intentions to host more high school state championships in the new facility.
Steve Rubbert, president of Enertia Energy, says the improvements will allow the use of energy more effectively, and the center will be able to do a lot more with the same amount of energy.

McIlargy spoke to the necessity of the repairs. “You can repair things one by one, or you can diagnose the problems and fix them in one swoop,” he said.

According to Drawz, the Aquatic Center is not only a recreation hub for the community, but a source of full-time enrollment (FTE) generating classes. The center has had over 96,000 swim lessons and, according to Drawz, will hit the 100,000 mark this summer.
Drawz also expressed a desire to be a part of the community members lives from infancy to death, with classes ranging from swim lessons for infants to warm water therapy and exercise classes. The center also holds events such as Dive-In Movies, birthday parties and evening recreation time.

According to Drawz, the center currently has a masters swim team, but it is small because of the amount of room.

Additionally, the center has hosted a variety of events, such as Disney’s “Swim with the Stars” and the U.S. Paralympic Nationals.