The sounds of construction and smells of chlorine fill the air at the HPER Natatorium; the sights of people, however, are not as abundant.
Located in the center of the HPER complexes, the Natatorium is home to the U’s swim team and is available to students and faculty alike. The pool is free to use for students while non-students may purchase a membership.
The pool provides swim lessons for a $45 fee that covers five weeks of private or group instruction. Kayak lessons, water aerobics and athletic swim courses are also offered.
Kyle Pieper, a recent U grad, said, “It is usually pretty slow around here. A lot of people just don’t know where we are.”
Pieper has been a lifeguard since the age of 16 and has worked at the pools for the last year.
“It’s a great campus job, I really enjoy it,” said Pieper. “Students usually come in at night, swipe their card and swim for a while. We don’t really see them in the day.”
Although the pool is good for water activities, Pieper encourages students to discover the pool for a number of different uses as well.
“Sometimes people will come and just tan outside the pool’s building,” she said. “So obviously it’s not just for swimming and it is so nice and warm during those colder months.”
Katrina Smith, a senior in business and assistant manager for the HPER pools, said there have not been many safety violations with the pools throughout her time working there.
“We haven’t really had any major incidents,” Smith said. “As a lifeguard, you kind of keep an eye out on the pool and make sure anyone who goes a little too far into the deep end has help. The closest thing to trouble we’ve had is people who potentially don’t know how to swim well panic as they get into deeper waters.”
Both Pieper and Smith agree the pool is overall very safe.
“The fact that we have only had two rescues this year speaks to how safe we are,” Smith said. “Typically we see people use the pool who are recovering from injury and do water therapy or faculty and staff coming in on their lunch break to get in an afternoon swim.”
With construction of the new Student Life Center nearing completion in the next year, aquatic services at the HPER Natatorium are planning to move. A new pool for students and faculty will be available in the center this coming spring semester.
“There will be a leisure pool, a 50 meter lap pool, an outdoor pool, as well as a hot tub,” Smith said. “I think having the pool in the middle of the center will really increase the number of students who use it.”
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