City gears up for long overdue swim center renovations, addressing issues of overcrowding, accessibility

In the ongoing effort to address issues at the Palm Springs Swim Center, the team working on the architectural and design plans for the planned renovations presented their latest draft Tuesday evening, including a floor plan they revised after the first open house meeting with the community.

More than 60 people gathered at the leisure center adjacent to the swimming facility for the first official presentation of progress on plans for the center’s long overdue renovation. Most appeared to like what they saw.

“We wanted to bring you this plan to make sure we are on the right track,” said Maria Song, principal architect at Palm Springs-based Interactive Design Corporation, as she prepared to show the progress.

At issue at the facility is that the 50-year-old building is showing its age. The cramped quarters lead to overcrowding and forces wheelchair users to maneuver their way through staff rooms and bathrooms to reach the pool.

The community meeting was the first since an open house in July, where residents let the design team know their priorities for the facility. At this meeting, Song showed off the slightly altered floor plan, which shifted the location of the locker room entrance and improved ADA access.

Many in the audience commended Song for her responsiveness to their concerns but still had significant concerns with the existing design. Among their desires was a more space and additional benches in the locker rooms. 

Frequent swimmers said there are times when the locker rooms are so full of people that they can’t find a place to set their things down, and the current design appears to have fewer benches than the existing facility. 

Residents also worried that the facility would shut down entirely during construction. Song assured them the team plans to divide the construction into zones so the pool will always be accessible. 

Parks and Recreation Commission Chair John Miraglia told the audience that the city could only address some of the issues in this single project.

“This is a great start,” he said. “We have a master plan coming up that will include many more changes to the swim center.”

Song explained that her team would next work to revise their designs before beginning to speak with the numerous city commissions and boards involved in the project.

“I hope you have faith in our team to take your comments into heavy consideration,” she said.

---

More information: More details about the parks and recreation master plan can be found at the city’s new website, Engage Palm Springs, located here.

---