City Wade Pool Renovation Complete at Cost of $291,532

Get your swim trunks ready, or at least think about taking a lesson or two, because the teaching-pool renovation is complete.

The former wade pool is now called the Fitness Instructional Training pool and has been renovated and updated and is looking pretty snazzy at a cost of $291, 532 according to Dave Rogers, director of public works and city engineer. The main and FIT pools are adjacent to each other within Crown Valley Community Park, part of the same pool complex and enclosure.    

The City Council awarded the contract for the wade pool renovation to Aquatic Technologies in August 2010 for the bid price of $253,106. The work at the site began Sept. 15 and was completed at the end of February.

While the total construction cost was $254,112, an additional $37,420 in consultant design fees, plan check fees and blueprint production fees put the total project cost at $291,532. Funds are available in the capital improvements budget to cover the cost of the project.

On Tuesday evening, the City Council was presented with a notice of completion of the project.

According to Tina Dittmar, aquatic supervisor, who schedules the pool use time and manages and finds the instructors for the facility, "The city had a wader pool that was 1½ feet deep, and it was not used three-fourths of the year. So, we made it deeper so we could use it year-round for lessons, exercise classes, etc. The community will have more programming choices with the FIT pool."

For now, the FIT pool is only open for classes including Poolates. In the summer, the plan is to open it up for  family use—for small children and their parents.

One council member is especially excited about the project, according to Dittmar.

"Linda Lindholm has been a very special proponent for pool improvements," Dittmar said. "When her kids were young, they were participants in city programs. She puts herself into the mind of a typical parent who wants to make sure her kids have excellent recreation opportunities in the community in which they live. In fact, a great majority of our council members and their families can be seen using the pool throughout the year. Because of its support, we now have a place where we can offer a larger variety of programs for children and adults."

What makes the FIT pool different from the main pool is that the city is going to keep it warmer—between 85 and 88 degrees—so it is a very comfortable place to learn, Dittmar said.

"We are very excited about the new FIT pool and hope our residents find a class that interests them so they can discover one of Laguna Niguel's hidden gems. I think the pool is the sapphire," she said.

The cost of the main pool renovation, which began last February and was completed in April, was $390,000 and included overhaul of the pool shell, a new filteration system and interior surfacing.

Hours are Monday to Friday, 1 to 4 p.m and on weekends, noon to 5 p.m. Prices: $2.50 for adults and $2 for children for the main pool.