Clovis North High School Aquatics Complex

Fresno, Calif.

By Aquatics International Staff

Clovis North High School Aquatics Complex

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This aquatics center was designed for multiple purposes, as (1) a home for the Clovis North High School competitive aquatics program (2) a multipurpose aquatic venue for community recreational programs (3) a possible competition venue for various competitive swimming and diving groups, including C.I.F., U.S. Masters, USA Diving and USA Swimming.

The facilities to accommodate this multifaceted aquatics program are designed around the basic two parallel 50-meter pools, each 25 yards wide. The pools have distinct features, but also functions in common beyond simply the size and swim lane tiling. One pool is a constant 2 meters deep, and is primarily for competitive racing and water polo; it provides eight lanes with built-in starting platforms at each end for 50-meter-based racing, and 19 lanes for the 25-yard-based high school competition. The pool edge is a conventional gutter to complete the racing function.

The second pool has the same lane configuration, but with added features to provide the multifaceted specialties of the aquatics center. At one end is a diving well with three, 1-meter boards and one, 3-meter board. This pool has a zero- or infinity-edge/gutter designed to allow divers ease of egress anywhere along the pool. The other end has a 25-foot shallow area (approximately 3 feet deep) to allow for swim instruction and young people’s recreation. The center one-third of this pool is at the 2-meter depth to allow for an additional water polo court.

Green aspects of Clovis North include:

All HVAC water heaters with high-efficiency ratings;
High-efficiency pool pumps;
Chlorination and acid systems that consume the minimum amount of chemicals necessary for health and safety;
A special diverter valve in the cooling tower to allow it to serve both pools, on a pool-at-a-time basis, allowing for pump efficiency as well as initial cost savings. This configuration saves energy, while providing racing-required water temperature control.

Special spectator and participant seating facilities within the aquatics center enclosure enhance the venue’s draw as a regional competitive center. The racing/water polo pool has L-shaped concrete seating tiers in four rows, on one side and one end, providing permanent seating for 740 spectators. Additional space is available for portable bleacher seating. At the top-tier level is a turfed area of 7,500 square feet, specifically designed to accommodate families coming for multiday meets. This area provides shade shelters for the day-long events, ideal for those wanting to picnic during the meet. The raised turf area also can accommodate additional bleachers if more seats are needed. Those same bleacher sections can be used for spectator seating in the diving board area. High-illumination light standards provide full lighting for any meets scheduled to continue into the after-dark hours.

The support building, designed to complement and echo the design style of the surrounding campus, provides a multiplicity of support functions. For starters, it houses the array of equipment required to keep a major pool complex operating at top efficiency: pumps and controls, filters, chlorinators, water heaters and the like. To provide services for the recreational and immediate needs of visitors, there are restrooms, with changing facilities and exterior showers. There’s also an office facility with direct view and control to the state-of-the-art LED scoreboard for on-site supervisors and visiting officials.

The complex has been located on the campus in a way that supports the public access and visitor/ spectator needs when used as a regional meet venue. The facility offers an adjacent, spacious parking lot, as well as overflow parking for larger-attendance, multiday meets.

While the school district has long been a leader in central California aquatics facilities, this complex is a step above its predecessors. It is the realization of long-sought flexibility and cutting-edge aquatics facilities for district officials and the local aquatics community.

Since its completion, the facility has been heavily used by the high school and competitive swimming enthusiasts. Its accessibility, charm and usefulness have been established by its recognition and its low-cost, problem-free operation.