The current pool has a broken heater and other issues that make continuous renovations expensive.
Courtesy of USF
By Sofía García Vargas
Funding for a new pool at the USF St. Petersburg campus was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The new outdoor facility will replace the nearly 90-year-old pool outside of H. William Heller Hall.
In April 2021, Campus Recreation proposed the use of funds available for Heller Hall in the St. Petersburg’s budget to either renovate the existing infrastructure or build a new one closer to the center of campus.
The Heller Hall pool, in addition to being an unknown amenity for students, has seen decadent conditions in the past years.
Built in the 1930s, the current pool has various leaks and a broken heater that needs continuous fixing.
According to a press release, the estimated renovations would cost $1.5 million, however it doesn’t seems like a viable option for Director of Campus Recreation Al Gentilini.
“We aren’t being good stewards if we keep dumping money into this old pool when we could be saving money,” Gentilini added.
On Dec. 7, the Board of Trustees approved $2.1 million for the new 4,600-square-foot pool that will also include an enclosed pumphouse, an indoor classroom and office space.
The new facility will be built in the back of the Pelican Apartment’s residence hall, making it more accessible to students, especially those who have expressed discomfort of having to walk across campus in their swimwear to get to Heller Hall.
Campus Recreation also plans to hold scuba and swimming lessons as well as rent out the space to outside entities for youth camps during summer.
By making this upgrade, the university hopes to attract students that focus on location and campus amenities.
The architectural plans are set to be completed by the end of the month with ground breaking set to the end of summer and the opening of the new pool by spring 2023, according to Gentilini.
