University of Connecticut students will have to wait until next year to take a dip at the Recreation Center, as its two swimming pools are now closed for the rest of the semester. The unexpected closure, which took effect last week, is not due to any health or safety risks, according to university officials.
“We are aware that the pool is a valuable resource to our students and everyone involved is focused on the goal of reopening at the earliest possible time for our guests to exercise, compete and otherwise enjoy it,” said UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz in a statement to the Daily Campus.
Students who entered the Rec Center last week were greeted with empty pools and a sign detailing that the Aquatics Center would be closed until Dec. 13, coinciding with the end of the fall semester. The sign also included a QR code, which led to the UConn Recreation department webpage; a notice there saying the closure was due to “unforeseen ongoing maintenance.”
“The current issue was unforeseen and unavoidable, but does not pose health or safety concerns for any of the pool’s past or recent users,” Reitz continued. “UConn Recreation has been working closely with UConn Facilities Operations and has also secured the expertise of two professional aquatics consultants. Based on what we know as of now, the Aquatics Center will require additional maintenance before it can be re-opened.”
According to Sport Facilities Management, a company specializing in recreation complex design and operations, indoor pools are subject to a regimen of maintenance to make them last. Its page says proper ventilation in the facility and a weekly process called “shocking,” which kills algae and bacteria in the water, are necessary. They also recommend that the temperature be regulated in the building to prevent condensation, which can lead to mold buildup. Manning Pool Services, an aquatics sales and services company, also recommends caring for pool filtration systems, which prevent unwanted dirt, minerals and oils from entering the water.
“The facilities within our care support the students, athletes, faculty and staff. Whether it be conditioning, competing, recuperating or recreating, our pools and spas represent the tools necessary for their individual or team success,” reads the webpage of the UConn Facilities Operations Water Compliance and Pool Operations team.
Like with any facility or system, unexpected repairs or replacement of parts are always possible. Facilities Operations supports the maintenance and upkeep of the recreation pools as well as the Wolff-Zackin Natatorium, the athletic swimming facility located adjacent to Gampel Pavilion. There is currently no indication that additional closures there will be necessary; the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs use the natatorium, but club aquatic sports usually use the Rec Center pools. They’ll be able to use the athletic swimming facilities for the time being, according to Reitz.
“UConn Recreation also engaged with our partners in UConn Athletics to address the current situation, and with their assistance, practice for both the Swimming and Water Polo Club Sport Teams resumed last Wednesday,” said Reitz.
Although no specific opening timeline has been provided, it is expected that the Rec Center swimming pools will be back in operation for the Spring 2025 semester.
The UConn Student Recreation Center opened in Fall 2019 and cost $72.5 million to build, according to the JCJ Architecture project webpage. The complex is over 200,000 square feet in size and is supported by a non-waivable $250 fee on every undergraduate student’s fee bill.
For more information about the UConn Rec Center, visit recreation.uconn.edu.
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