After years of planning, the Wallman Wellness Center’s aquatic addition is opening Monday. Here’s a sneak preview of the student-fee funded center.
The Aquatic Center is home to a 50,000 gallon, 165-person capacity leisure pool, equipped with two basketball hoops for water sports.
The leisure pool consists of three areas: a vortex area, a general swimming area and a lounging area with chairs that are placed in shallow water.
Water equipment, such as sporting balls, pool noodles and nets are available for pool goers to borrow in the time they are in the pool.
Ryan MacMaster, the aquatics coordinator, said there would be an informal check out process with lifeguards to borrow equipment, and no formal process would be required if pool goers care for and respect equipment properly.
Adjacent to the leisure pool is a 4,500 gallon, 16-person capacity hot tub, which was running at 103 degrees Fahrenheit at press time.
Outside of the hot tub is what MacMaster said is a fire pit with the aims of placing chairs around it.
In a separate room from the leisure area, separated only by a large glass wall, is the lap pool.
The lap pool has six lanes, with the starting blocks being located on the deeper end of the pool.
Depth of the pool ranges from slightly above 10 feet in the deeper end to three feet on the opposite end.
MacMaster said the lap pool would more likely be used for workouts, whereas the leisure pool will be used for recreation.
Throughout both the rooms, tiling on the ground is a tan color with green and gold embroidering for pool information and decoration.
Across the hallway from the pool rooms is a wet classroom.
The room is considered wet as it has chairs, tables and flooring that are made to resist water, allowing students in this classroom to transition from pool to classroom with no harm.
The room has 36 chairs and will be used for classes in future semesters, though presently it will not be to allow the Aquatic Center staff to monitor usage of the pool.
Locker Rooms
The Aquatic Center has two large single gendered changing rooms, one for male and one female usage.
In the male and female locker rooms are lockers that students can rent or use for a day at no cost. There is also a miniature dryer to dry one’s bathing suit when they are finished in the pool.
The center also has three single-person gender-neutral locker rooms, equipped with bathroom facilities, changing area and shower.
MacMaster said the male and female locker rooms are the same except flipped, and the female locker room does not have urinals installed.
Sauna
The new sauna is located across from the pool rooms, between the wet classroom and office spaces for employees. It has wooden seating, flooring and walls.