BY Indianapolis Star

The spacious blue-and-white facility is part of the new high school complex that opened in August on the city's northside.

The pool replaces a much smaller facility that had cramped and rusty locker rooms, limited spectator seating and poor ventilation.

The new pool -- with its wider lanes for competition and recreational swimming, diving well, spacious locker rooms and adaptability -- is drawing plenty of raves.

"I'm impressed," said George Kopetsky, father of senior swimmer Shelli Kopetsky. "Every time I walked into the old pool, it seemed like it was 110 degrees, and there wasn't much room for spectators."

Second-year Franklin swim coach Brett Findley agreed.

"We're more spread out," he said. "It's a lot more fun for the kids because they were crammed into less space last year."

The pool will host boys and girls Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional meets.

The biggest applause comes from Pam Gibson, indoor aquatics director for Franklin Parks and Recreation.

School and park officials are working hand in hand to assure public access to the new aquatics center. Retired high school swim coach Kurt Hass is credited with developing that relationship between high school and city.

"We can open (swimming) up to the community as never before," Gibson said. "The community likes to know they can use the pool."

A new water aerobics session began meeting on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and lap and adult swimming is available from 6 to 9 p.m. The pool has a special 21/2-foot-deep area for youth and senior swim lessons.

A community swim for families is scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. most Sundays. Discover Scuba Diving Day comes up Jan. 9, with scuba diving and lifeguard classes next year. The pool will be used next year for parent/child and group swim lessons.

Depending on school schedules, Gibson envisions adding early morning and lunchtime swims for adults, water polo, and diving clinics.

The aquatics center already is paying off for the Grizzly Cubs swim teams, who have a number of meets at home before making their first road trip. Findley envisions more multiple-team invitational meets at the pool.

With its portable barriers, the pool can be 50 yards in length for high school meets or lengthened to 50 meters for amateur age-group and club meets.

Gutterless side drainage and wider lanes result in less wave resistance for swimmers during practice and competition. The pool can be set up for 24 lanes across the width of the pool.

The pool depth goes from 5 feet at one end to 12 feet for the diving area that features a 10-meter springboard and two 1-meter springboards. A modern ventilation system also lessens the humidity.

During high school practices, the boys and girls teams are spread out and can keep better individual separation during their lap swims.

New amenities include an enclosed scoring and public address area, two scoreboards, a modern scoring and timing systems, and seating for 750 spectators.

High school and club scorer Lorri Dannemiller and announcer Stan Shafer like working inside the enclosed area because they and the equipment no longer get wet from splashing swimmers. Dannemiller has one complaint, though.

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