Whether you are a spectator at a swim meet wishing refuge from the heat, a coach who needs an open place to have a team meeting, or a student who wants extra space to lift weights, the Aquatics Center will accommodate your every need.
This multi purpose community center started construction in February, but don’t be fooled by the large desolate piles of dirt and machinery; in approximately nine months it will be transformed into a large clubhouse sporting a vaulted ceiling with nice wood paneling, a kitchen, bathrooms, possibly a snack shack and grand sliding accordion glass doors spilling directly onto the pool deck.
The process of rebuilding and constructing what will soon be a grand Aquatics Center started with phase one: the pool. Now that the beautiful pool is complete it is time for phase two: the construction of the Aquatics Center, also known as the Community Center.
Mark Anderson, the director of aquatics at San Domenico, has heavily aided in the development of the aquatic facility. While the new pool was being built, he realized something was missing.
“Now, we have a beautiful pool and beautiful garden, but we talked about how we needed to put something else there,” Anderson said. “In our meetings we started talking about a need for a community space that people could hang out in.”
With the idea of a community center came more questions; however, the vitality was never questioned.
“What would it be? Would it be a dance studio? Would it be something that could host a lot of highschool kids- 150 kids in it? Could we have tests there? Could we proctor your SAT’S and AP classes?” Anderson asked. “Whatever it was- we needed a gathering spot. We need a gathering spot.”
Anderson and his team hoped the center could used for almost anything. Soon the dream became a reality.
John Campbell, construction project manager at San Domenico, directly oversees the architecture and construction of the Community Center.
“It’s supposed to be able to switch and be a lot of things,” Campbell said. “It’s kind of a multipurpose room because we lack a lot of big spaces.”
One minute the center can be used for workout equipment: holding peloton bikes, light weights, and training sessions; then it can be converted into a grand fundraiser dinner that seats about 100 people. It can be used for dance classes, play rehearsal, cooking food and barbecuing.
The center will be “anywhere where someone could sign up and say ‘I want the community center to do this or that.’ It’s supposed to be very flexible,” Campbell said. “I’m hoping for it to become a whole other area of social activity.”
Campbell is excited for the center to bring people together, saying that he “hopes it’s packed all the time and people are doing different things.”
Furthermore, the Community Center will greatly benefit student athletes. Lauren Kurtzman, a junior at San Domenico and on the swim and water polo teams, is excited to have the Aquatics Center during water polo and swim seasons.
“I’m really excited for it to be done because it’s an area where our whole team can hang out after swim meets and we can have team dinners and have fun together,” Kurtzman said. “It will really strengthen our community within the swim team.”
Kurtzman is hoping that the center brings spectators to watch their meets and games.
“I think the aquatics center will advance our teams in terms of team bonding and getting people to come to our events because we don’t have very many people that come to swim and water polo meets,” Kurtzman said. “The center will attract more people.”
During swim meets and water polo games, the Community Center will allow spectators a respite from the suffocating heat on the pool deck, or the damp cold if it is raining.
However, even though the center is next to the pool, it is not only for water sports.
“It’s a multi use thing. It’s a community center that everyone can enjoy. The whole school can enjoy it. It’s not just for swimming and water polo,” Anderson said.
Whether you are a student who wants to use the kitchen, lounge by the pool, lift weights, or simply needs a quiet place to study, the Aquatics Center will be for you!
Next year, when this impressive structure is finished, it will be a central hub in San Domenico and a great way to bring the community together!
