Design to Serve ALL of ABQ

Youth recreation to outdoor fitness

Infant/youth water survival to Disabled and special needs citizens

Age group club swimmers to Olympic trial swimmers

High school swimmers to Master swimmers

Waterpolo players to Triathletes

Youth Recreation: It's a well-known fact that swimming is the #1 preferred sport activity for youth nationwide. Public swimming pools give youth, at all economic levels, a chance to play, socialize, exercise, and cool off during the long summer months. However, the northern half of the City of Albuquerque is greatly underserved when it comes to public pool access. Most youths in this area must forgo this hugely beneficial activity due to lack of facilities, lack of reasonable transportation to pools, and lack of access to costly, private-membership facilities. Youths in the area desperately need more outlets to just be kids. It's time for Albuquerque to address this.

Water Safety & Swim Training: Parents citywide have let us know that it's been nearly impossible to access swim instruction and water safety classes at the City pools. Yet, swimming is the #1 sport preferred by youth. Providing more facilities and access to water safety and swim training needs to be made an urgent priority by the City.

Access for Swimmers with Disabilities: None of the city's existing/retrofitted pools have easy access for citizens with disabilities. A pool designed with a ramp and adaptive, workable features needs to be incorporated to serve this greatly underserved population. (see more on this below)

Competitive Swim (Team) Needs: USA swimming or club swimming has two seasons: a short course (25 yard/ 25 meter) season usually during the fall, winter, and spring and a long course season (50 meter) season usually during the spring and summer. Due to lack of 50 meter pools in the city of Albuquerque the city is not capable of providing USA Swimmers an opportunity to train in a 50 meter pool. The result is Albuquerque USA Swimmers have to travel out of the city and often out of the state to compete in a 50 meter pool. Unfortunately, the swim meet is often the first time Albuquerque swimmers have to experience a 50 meter pool. (see more on this below)

Water Polo & Water Sports Needs: Water polo teams have long been in stiff competition with swim teams and recreational swim times for the extremely limited public pool availability in the City of Albuquerque.

Access for Swim Enthusiasts of All Ages (including Seniors): Affordable swim lane availability at public pools is either not available or very limited in the northeast quadrant of the City. When swim enthusiasts do get lane time, swimmers in the northernmost part of the City spend much more time on the roads (than those in the southern half of the city) commuting 5-15 miles to access swim facilities. Those without transportation or with limited ability to drive must forgo this form of beneficial exercise.

According to the 2005 NDB Park Master Plan, the services the aquatic center shall provide are:

1. Area for water therapy;

2. ADA access/zero depth pool;

3. Toddler components;

4. Olympic-size pool for Senior Olympics, Masters, girls and boys high school swim meets and state championships, and age group competitions during summer;

5. Indoor and outdoor facilities;

6. Restrooms, showers, locker areas, office space, maintenance and storage space, and meeting rooms.

Click HERE to hear what Mayor Keller had to say regarding the pool design selection on 9/28/21 - you can start listening at the 39:13 mark.

Elevating Opportunities for High School Swim Teams: Currently, La Cueva and Eldorado High Schools' swim team members must commute to the other side of the City (4 to 5 times per week after school) for practice (in a 25-meter pool). The proposed NDB Pool would not only reduce the travel time for teenage athletes and their parents (usually 45+ minutes on the road daily), it will also provide additional pool resources for APS swim & dive teams throughout the city—allowing for less crowded practices at City facilities and additional practice time for our public school student athletes. It would also make swim team participation more possible for those teenage athletes who cannot afford a vehicle or the time it requires to commute to daily practices. Over time, this translates to the development of more skilled, competitive public high school swimmers throughout Albuquerque, giving them opportunities which have previously only been available to private school students (e.g., Albuquerque Academy) who have access to a private aquatic center.

Water Polo: Currently high school water polo teams have to practice in inadequate facilities and travel to pools distant from the school site. The city's two different club teams, Duke City Barracuda and Albuquerque Water Polo Club, plus a masters water polo team, 505 Master Water Polo Club also compete for space for playing. (Before the pandemic shut down there was a high school league and championship and a newly formed middle school league.)

Water polo is a highly aerobic sport that is accessible to swimmers/players of all ages. It is also an Olympic sport and Albuquerque could be much more of a pipeline for the national Olympic development teams. In addition, water polo attracts the attention of college recruiters from across the nation.

With another 50m pool, Albuquerque could expand its ability to host regional water polo tournaments and attract teams from AZ, TX, CO, UT and Mexico. (also see 'Potential for Revenues' below) More youths and athletes would also gain access to a healthy, organized sport that builds not only fitness, but teamwork and self-esteem.

Our hope and intent is to have the City incorporate a ramp and/or beach that is integrated into the actual pool design This would make it usable by people who have trouble with pool ladders, who have a fear of the water, or are in a wheelchair. With a ramp, there is less risk involved than movable steps and no chance of failure (as might happen with a lift device which could fail while a client was in the water).

***Independence from a mechanical device is the goal here.***

In addition, a ramp does not require supervision by pool staff. The only additional equipment necessary for wheelchair-bound swimmers is a water-friendly wheeled chair (such as one constructed of pvc pipe, etc.) that could be kept in storage for when this population of swimmers need to access/exit the pool. Wheelchair-use swimmers should not be expected to use their own chair to enter the pool as it would render the chair unusable (wet) after the swim and introduce dirt into the pool.

A ramp and a "beach area" is also helpful for clients who have mental/cognitive disabilities that make pool entry difficult. If a “beach” area is integrated into the design, it can also serve non-swimmers to gain comfort in the pool.

These are the most important features we'd like to see incorporated to serve our diverse disabled population. There are also other needs that are related to accessories for these people (handrails, wall grips, etc.) - many of which are outlined in this document.