Sporting Facility

The Aquatic Sport Council has identified the best aquatic sport fit for a range of aquatic facilities, as follows:

Competitive Swimming

• 2 - 50m major competition pools
  • may allow for competition bids at international to local levels
  • Requires attention to spectator seating, deck space
• 25m 8-lane competition pool
  • May allow for certain regional competitions and certainly local competitions
  • Require attention to some spectator seating and deck space
• 25m 6 lane community pools
  • May allow for some local competitions but would offer a limited venue
  • Require attention to some spectator seating and deck space

Diving

• Stand-alone diving tank with all heights of boards and platforms may allow for competition bids at all levels.
• Requires attention to judging area, dry land warm up area, spectator and athlete seating.
• 5m tank depth with straight walls is required for national competition

Water Polo

• 27m is required for a standard playing area
  • National tournaments are based on the ability to host teams and some will require multiple tanks or perhaps venues
  • Depth needs to be 2m throughout the playing area
  • Stanchions for netting and equipment will need to be considered
  • With a 30m pool and 2m depth through 27m a very nice venue for the game can be created

Artistic Swimming (formerly Synchronized Swimming)

• National competition would require a 50 m pool divided by a bulkhead or 2 separate 25m pools
  • International and national standards are fast becoming 3m depth
  • Provincial to local competition requires a minimum 2.5m depth
  • The minimum width is 20m
  • Attention needs to be given to accommodate up to 600 participants in pool area not including stands or spectator area

It should be noted that terms such as high performance, world class, international, national and regional, often refer more to the coaches and standard of athletes in development rather than the particular pool. A regional athlete is more than happy to compete in an international facility.

Pool capacity

The numbers of people likely to use the pool at any one time needs to be estimated early in the planning and design process. A fixed pool space can only accommodate a specific number of people at a given time doing a specific activity. During practice there will be a difference between the numbers of competitive swimmers compared to artistic (formerly synchrocized) swimmers. As well the numbers for competition will also be different. The capacity and appeal of the pool must be understood before the pool is built. As well the demographics of the region must also be incorporated so that the size of the facility is not facing refurbishment shortly after opening.

Various models for capacity analysis can be built.  One figure may be used to assess size and configuration of change rooms and another calculation will be required for the more technical issues such as the design of the pool water filtration plant. The number of people walking onto the pool deck at the peak (not the average) is a key factor in establishing the total floor area of the building.
The maximum number of bathers estimated to be able to use a pool at any one time as the ‘bathing load’. This load will vary through the day in relation to the activity and will be a function of the available water area. Where bather load is at a minimum the pool operator will begin to question opportunities for maximization. Where bather load peaks, the programmer will need to understand risk.

Bather load is necessary for risk assessments. It will also be necessary to aid in understanding the operational arrangement to ensure safety. There is plenty of data available for recreational swimming and standards from governments are always available. A minimum water area (occupancy ratio) should be allowed to ensure physical