Ready for a big splash

It's not quite finished yet, but already the new 40,000-square-foot municipal pool looks as inviting as, well, a pool on a hot summer's day.

Three days of constant filling resulted in clear water lapping at the very top of the blue-tiled Olympic-sized pool at 430 Bonanza Road, near Las Vegas Boulevard.

It boasts one 3-meter and two 1-meter diving boards, striped lanes for both competitive and less-structured intramural swimming and enough space to hold water polo tournaments.

Overhead, construction crews are installing the latest in microwave-powered lights just under retractable, sloping ceiling panels that will admit fresh air and sunshine.

"It's 95 percent done," said Rod Martin, project consultant for Richardson Construction, as he walked through the site Wednesday. "We just have the details to finish up and we should be done by Friday."

A grand opening is planned once the pool officially opens to the public early next month. No specific date has yet been set.

The $5.6 million facility, which was started in March 1998 after demolition of the decrepit Dula Pool at the same site, can't open too soon for area residents.

"I won't believe it till I'm in there swimming," said Mary St. John, manager of Team Vegas, a local co-ed water polo organization whose membership is kept to just 30 people due to the lack of pools citywide. "We're all stuck like sardines over at UNLV."

Although the city owns or leases eight pools, only Dula was open year-round, forcing high school swim teams, lifeguard certification classes and recreation swimmers to vie for space at UNLV's indoor pool.

Mary Killion, a field supervisor overseeing aquatics for the city's Parks and Leisure Activities division, said city staff had those diverse pool users in mind when helping design the new municipal pool.

"We visualized what kind of pool we wanted so we could have multiple activities," Killion said.

With two 25-meter cross sections, a 50-meter long section and diving area, the pool will be able to accommodate several uses at once -- everything from synchronized swimming to water aerobics and full-sized polo games.

Although the new pool lacks seating for major events, it does meet all of the minimum requirements for competitive diving and swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.

Dula Pool, built in 1947, suffered everything from broken pumps to leaks and crumbling concrete. The city closed its doors in February 1997 in light of the $500,000 in repair bills stacking up.

"It was so old," said Killion, who at age 16 was a lifeguard at Dula. "It didn't meet the needs of a pool anymore. The bath house was in deplorable condition and the infrastructure was just falling apart."

Stacy Allsbrook, a spokeswoman for the parks division, said the age of the old pool was the prime reason for the construction delays. The new pool was originally scheduled to open last September.

"Most of the delays have been due to unforeseen problems," Allsbrook said. "It was a really bad sinking pool and the filter room was so old there was a coal-heated furnace in there they couldn't get out."

The new municipal pool features two classrooms, a first aid/lifeguard room, concession area, office space, fitness room and full-service locker rooms.

"The women's locker room at Dula Pool had just two electrical outlets and they weren't anywhere near mirrors or sinks," Killion said. "At least here you'll be able to dry your hair and look presentable after a swim."

Although not as lavish as locker rooms common in area health clubs and spas, the rooms have showers, toilets, hand dryers, lockers, benches and direct access to the pool.

The fees have not yet been established for use of pool, but Killion said daily and monthly passes for the pool, fitness room or both will be offered.

The adjoining classrooms will be used for scuba classes, lifeguard and CPR certification and water safety programming.

The pool area features several large panels -- similar to garage doors -- which will open up to an outdoor patio area.

After the pool is turned over to the city, staff members will spend several days practicing emergency plans and getting a feel for the new building before the facility is open to the public. The pool does not yet have an opening date, but is expected to be operational in early February.

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