Jump into the new year in Barrie’s newest swimming pool at the Holly Recreation Centre on Jan. 4.
The $30-million recreation complex features an aquatics area complete with a slide, two diving towers, and an on-deck teaching pool.
The focus is on fun.
“When we opened Allandale, we had a six-lane, competitive, rectangular pool. It has always been a good teaching pool (for competitive clubs). When we did East Bayfield, the competitive clubs asked for eight lanes.
“Now, the aquatics clubs are reasonably well served by those two pools, so it meant more of a leisure pool (for Holly). We had a slide and a one-metre and a three-metre diving down and on-deck features to make it even more fun,” explained Barrie’s leisure, transit and works director Sid Armatage.
On Thursday, Jan. 3, Barrie recreation department staff will offer tours, but on Friday, Jan. 4, the city opens the centre from noon to 8 p.m. for free. Events include free public swims starting at 12:30 p.m. and four free public skating sessions starting at noon. The youth centre will also be open for drop-ins, as will the gym and preschool room.
“There’s both function – which is very important in the building – and form,” said Armatage.
“As you walk in, you look to one side and look into the pool. Straight ahead, there’s an arena, and upstairs is an area where you can see people working out in the fitness area on the machines. Down the hall is a partial glass wall that looks into the gym. What you get is very interactive.”
Ward 7 Coun. John Brassard said as city crews put the finishing touches on the centre located beside Holly Meadows school on Mapleton Avenue, it’s becoming very clear the centre will be a focus for the neighbourhood, as it features lots of windows, to draw in passersby.
The third Barrie recreation centre, Holly also integrates wood and lots of natural light, to bring in the outside environment and neighbourhood community.
“It really is impressive and I think Barrie residents will be extremely pleased with what they see,” said Brassard.
“It’s user friendly, with large, open spaces, and lots of natural light will make for an enjoyable family experience.”
In designing the centre, Barrie took integrated energy conservation in the centre’s design, as well as demands for visibility and safety.
“Things have changed since 1983, when we opened Allandale. When you look at the fitness centres in the three buildings (Allandale, East Bayfield and Holly), you can see the changes (in trends and in functions).
“Ice surfaces are, within reason, almost identical,” he added, noting the city was ahead of the curve as it tied two rinks together with Allandale. The heated spectator area is located above the dressing rooms, which keeps kids and coaches together, and spectators separated, while giving them top-notch views.
Offering programs for young to old, the centre has a place for every member of the family, noted Armatage, which is ultimately what the city aimed to accomplish.
Whether it’s a gym-focused program, personal fitness training, swimming or skating lessons or even a preschool program, Holly offers a well-rounded program. It is also the south-end hub for teens, with drop-in hours for 11-16 and 13-19 year olds. It features a kitchen, computers, lounge and special-events area. Its phone number is 792-7925.
“It can be a family-focused situation, where a child can be swimming or skating and mom and dad can be up in the fitness centre. They go together and come home together,” he added.
“In an area where there’s a lot of young families, we felt a youth centre would be a very valuable asset.”
Barrie’s recreation master plan calls for one pool for every 30,000 residents – and counting the YMCA, the city has four indoor aquatic facilities. The plan still calls for a centre for Painswick, to be built in 2012 or 2013.
The master plan also calls for one ice surface for every 18,000 residents – and Holly rounds the city’s count to eight – with two in both Allandale and East Bayfield and one in each of Eastview and Dunlop arenas.