Three proposals for Glastonbury aquatics center
Firm: Designs ‘not refined or perfect’ yet
GLASTONBURY — Glastonbury is getting closer to its vision for an indoor aquatics center, as a planning and design firm presented three proposals for the town this week.
Counsilman-Hunsaker took comments from residents who spoke at a public hearing last month, and it created three preliminary designs. The firm has completed more than 1,000 centers across the country. No project has been approved for the town. Moser, Pilon Nelson Architects is also working with the town by preparing a market and feasibility analysis for an indoor aquatics facility.
The study will determine the scope, options, cost, site requirements and market area around Glastonbury for the proposed facility. Town Manager Richard J. Johnson is working on the market analysis that will estimate the business model — revenue and expenditures — for a facility. A final report is expected in March, along with cost estimates.
“These are not refined or perfect by any stretch of the imagination,” said George Deines of Counsilman-Hunsaker. “We still see moving some of the pieces as we work through this.”
Here is a look at the three options presented.
The first option includes a 5,400-square-foot competition and leisure pool. The competition pool would include six 25-yard lap lanes and a 1-meter diving board. The depth of the pool would range from zero to 12 feet and include shallow water for fitness classes and water walking. The smaller leisure pool would include a children’s play area as well as a “grand staircase” for swimming lessons.
“It’s not only perfect for ingress and egress in and out of the pool, but also for swimming lessons,” Deines said.
In all three options, the area around the pool would include seating for 200 spectators, a lobby and staff offices, as well as men’s and women’s locker/changing rooms and family locker/ changing rooms.
A second option includes two pools — one for laps and the other for recreation programming. The 4,500square-foot lap pool would include eight 25-yard lanes with a 1-meter diving board and depths of 4 to 12 feet. The 2,400-square-foot programming pool would include four 25-yard lanes and shallow water for water fitness classes, swim lessons and water walking, with a depth of 4 feet. This option also includes locker rooms and spectator space.
The third option is a hybrid of the first two, with a 4,500-square-foot pool and 3,800-square-foot leisure/programming pool. The lap pool would include eight 25-yard lanes and a 1-meter diving board, with depths of 4 to 12 feet. The smaller leisure pool includes two 20-yard lap lanes, shallow water for fitness and swim lessons and a children’s play structure. A water vortex, where swimmers walk against a current, is also included. The depth would range from zero to 4 feet.