Crowd celebrates pool re-opening; facility includes $2.8 million in renovations

Published March 17, 2008
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Flenis Spears has been an avid swimmer since 1995, but when Peterson's pool closed in November 2006, he had to take up a new sport - waiting.

"I was out here all the time bugging [the contractors], watching them take the beams out, asking when the pool would be ready," said Mr. Spears, who is retired Army. "It was a long wait."

Mr. Spears can ditch his watch and strap his swim goggles back on, though - Peterson's pool re-opened March 14.

Following $2.8 million in upgrades, the pool is now covered by a new, durable roof structure, replacing the old, wooden, leaky one that had taken a beating from Colorado's winter storms. The facility also features a new hot tub, slip-proof flooring - the same kind used at the Olympic Training Center - and a new $85,000 pool liner.

A public address system has been added to pump in music, and the pool's new heating, venting and cooling system will keep the building two degrees warmer than the pool, so swimmers won't freeze when they get out of the water.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the pool's re-opening, Col. Jay Raymond, 21st Space Wing commander, said patrons will be impressed by the changes that have been made.

"The pool is back," he said. "And, I'll tell you, it's back better than it was before."

Also attending the ceremony was retired Gen. Don Kutyna, an avid swimmer and an important force in the development of Peterson's pool during his time here as commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Space Command.

Colonel Raymond unveiled a framed picture of General Kutyna swimming in his West Point days, when he broke school and NCAA records. The picture will hang at Peterson's pool, next to a picture representing today's Airmen swimmers.

"Things sure have changed," General Kutyna joked when he saw the picture.

For Mr. Spears, change - at least when it comes to Peterson's pool - has been for the better. Looking at the completed renovations, Mr. Spears said he was looking forward to coming to the pool more often - to swim this time, not wait.

"This is great," he said. "I wouldn't think of going any place else."

Peterson pool re-opens