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Design Considerations for Olympic & Recreational Swimming Pools

Water surface in a swimming pool.

Olympic and Recreational Swimming Pool Design

Is it worth having an Olympic swimming pool in addition to a recreational pool at your sports complex? It depends on a variety of different factors. Design, cost, market demand, location, and many other considerations will need to be taken into account before you make this expensive decision. Sports Facilities Advisory can provide some general advice on how these options differ. Read on to find out more.

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Space and Pool Size

If including a pool in your facility is an additional consideration and not something you planned from the very beginning, you might want to think about how much space you have available. Decide how many customers the pool facility will be able to accommodate, and consider what they will be using it for. Olympic pools are a more standardized shape, but larger pools can accommodate more swimmers. Recreational pools tend to have more variation in shapes and sizes and will need more extensive planning and forethought.
An Olympic-sized pool can be used for both dedicated swimming or for recreation, but you will need to block out times for different uses. Offering an Olympic pool for both uses will mean more customers can enjoy it, but this will require additional maintenance and management. Even if it is something you planned from the start, recreational pools and Olympic-style pools take up significant space and resources.

Indoor or Outdoor?

Deciding on building an indoor or outdoor pool will depend largely on the weather in your area. Outdoor swimming areas will require more care and maintenance and may lose out significantly at certain times of the year. Indoor pools, whether for sport or recreation, will be more reliable year-round.

What Does the Market Research Say?

The most important factor as to what kind of pool and swimming facilities you offer will come from your market research. Before you make a firm decision, canvas the local area for demand and find out what other recreation or sports facilities in the area are providing. This will help you decide between a standard Olympic-sized pool, a recreational pool, or offering both options.

Get the Most Out of Professional Guidance

Whatever option you decide to include in your sports complex, you should contact Sports Facilities Advisory. We can help you lay the foundation for a competitive sports or recreation facility — from planning and funding to operation and management. Take a look at our past projects or speak to the team today.

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