Five Star District breaks ground on 50-meter Olympic-size swimming pool
Subheading:
Pool provides one-of-a-kind opportunity for competition swimming in Denver area with seating for 800 spectators
Adams 12 Five Star Schools is bringing competition swimming to a new level in the Denver area. On Tuesday, June 9, the district broke ground on a 50-meter Olympic-size swimming pool with seating for 800 spectators. The solar-heated pool is 50 meters long by 25 yards wide which can accommodate 10 lanes in the long direction and 24 lanes in the short direction.
Swimmers and divers from the district's five high schools were on hand to be the first to turn dirt on the project. The aquatic center is scheduled to open mid-August 2010.
The aquatic center is located near 136th Avenue and Holly in Thornton across from Horizon High School.
Floating bulkheads allow for the pool to be separated into areas for swimming, diving and practicing. The competition section of the pool is 7 feet deep which is ideal for fast times. The diving well has two 1-meter boards and one 3-meter board, and is 13 feet deep.
The aquatic center project also marks one of the more innovative city/school district partnerships in the area. As partner on the project, the City of Thornton is providing the land to the district for free, in addition to agreeing to maintain the landscaping around the facility. The district will be responsible for maintaining the aquatic center building and parking lot.
Voters in the Five Star District made construction of the $19.6 million aquatic center possible with the passage of a bond initiative in 2004.