&t;br&gt The swimming pool at the new high school is an open invitation to Albert Lea sports fans who haven’t taken the time to watch a swim meet.

Monday, January 15, 2001

The swimming pool at the new high school is an open invitation to Albert Lea sports fans who haven’t taken the time to watch a swim meet. They might discover that swimming can be an excellent spectator sport.

&uot;It’s really a wonderful place for people to watch and enjoy the action,&uot; said Bruce Olson, facilities and transportation director for the school district. &uot;The viewing deck above the pool allows a perfect vantage point.&uot;

Olson said the new pool has powerful lighting, an automated system for adding and monitoring chemicals and state-of-the-art humidity controls to make a comfortable environment for spectators.

&uot;It doesn’t have the problems that a lot of high school pools have, including the pool at Central. They tend to be poorly lit and too humid – and cramped. Our pool has plenty of room,&uot; said Olson.

Like many of the features of the new ALHS building, the new pool replaces a facility that had problems from age and design. The old pool at Central was built in 1967 from aluminum. It only had six single lanes and poor locker room access. Olson said bleachers had to be rolled over from the gymnasium to accommodate spectators.

By the late 1980s, the district began to recognize some serious leaking problems.

&uot;The aluminum was oxidizing, and the pool was leaking,&uot; Olson said. &uot;In 1992 we installed a vinyl liner which helped, but it was only a 10-year fix. Even without a new high school, we would have been forced to build a new pool in a couple of more years.&uot;

The new pool is what Olson describes as &uot;shot concrete&uot; with several layers of re-bar reinforcement over a clay base. The concrete has a finish that is impenetrable.

&uot;It’s a more permanent design,&uot; said Olson. &uot;We won’t have to worry about any repairs or replacement for many, many years.&uot;

With eight double lanes and a handicap ramp, the new pool is one of the largest in the Big 9 Conference. Swimmers also enjoy much better locker access, said Olson.

&uot;It is certainly has a location that makes much more sense than the pool at Central. It,s integrated into the rest of the athletic area, like it should be,&uot; Olson said.

Olson said the best way to appreciate the new pool is to watch a practice or event.

&uot;It was really designed to be spectator friendly,&uot; Olson said.