After more than a month of labor and upwards of $30,000 spent for repairs, the newly renovated Steve Lacy Fieldhouse swimming pool was reopened Sept. 7. According to Jonathan Robinson, campus service manager of facilities, the pool was closed July 28, its first refitting since 1996.

It is a 200 - 250,000-gallon swimming pool which had to be drained, removed of chlorine, dried, sand blasted and cleaned before fiberglass could be laid down.  Finally it was cleaned again and refilled with water. All 10 underwater lights, which had not worked in 10 years, according to Robinson, were also replaced.

Before the pool opened, maintenance crews had to balance the chemicals and reheat the pool; 56- degree water can be a little cold for swimming. Also, a new chlorinator has been purchased and six new starting block anchors were installed at the deep end, opposite of where they were prior.

While the renovations were taking place the water from the pool was discharged into Buffalo Creek, according to Robinson. However this was not done lightly-- the water had to be "dechlorinated down to less than 1 part per million," according to Robinson. He had to submit the water to electronic analysis and then the water was discharged over the course of two days.

The swimming pool remains without diving boards or permanent spectator stands, neither of which is planned for the future. Swim meet spectators will sit in either rolling or folding stands. The $30,000 price tag of these renovations is only an estimate. The water bill, among others, from refilling the pool has yet to come in.

The renovations also included two new offices, including one with a window view on the pool for the new swim coach, Ron Goehring.

When Goehring approached the administration with the necessary repairs, they were ready and willing to help.

"It's great the way administrators work with the people involved to get their input on upgrades and renovations," said Goehring.

The pool is open not only to the new swim team but also to Milligan and Emmanuel students, faculty and staff on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., and Monday through Friday, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Lifeguards will be on duty during open hours.