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A warm swim in winter
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| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman Henley swimmers wait for instructions from coach Dan Zimmer (not pictured) as steam rises off the Ella Redkey Pool early Friday morning. The public pool will host a first of its kind high school swim meet later this month. |
January 3, 2007
Sheryl Lane swims several times a week at the city's only outdoor pool with two friends, using underwater weights and doing exercises to stay in shape.
Steam rises around her as the 78-degree water makes contact with the below-freezing air. Swimming outside in Klamath's winter may seem absurd to some, but Lane wouldn't have it any other way.
And she's not alone.
From high school and club swim team practices to aquatic exercise classes, the Ella Redkey pool on Main Street is rarely empty and at times full of swimmers, especially as more people discover the unique geothermally heated facility.
“They wouldn't swim back inside if you paid them,” said Nancy Anderson, senior lifeguard and aquatics instructor.
Built in the 1950s, the pool always has been heated by a geothermal source that permitted use during the winter months. The water is heated to 82 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit, though winds can bring it down to the high 70s.
A thorough renovation in 1998 increased the pool's dimensions to 25-by-33 yards. It now holds more than 300,000 gallons of water, has a waterslide and an improved filtration and pumping system. The pool is cleaner and the water is clearer since the renovation, said Valerie Franklin, pool manager.
Activities offered at the pool don't subside when there's snow and ice about. Klamath Union and Henley high school swim teams have practiced at the facility for more than five years and aquatic exercise classes also continue.
A month-long diving class is scheduled in January and private swim lessons and pre-competitive youth instruction also is available because of such great demand.
People choose to swim at the outdoor facility when the temperature is below freezing for varied reasons.
Anderson said the pool is often not crowded, and there are always lanes available for lap swimming. Air quality also is better than many indoor facilities because the pool is not in a confined space.
Lane likes the comfort of working out in water, and she doesn't have to fight for exercise machines.
Dan Zimmer, Henley High School swim coach, said he moved his athletes to the pool seven years ago from Oregon Institute of Technology's pool because of scheduling difficulties.
And, he discovered, the move provided other benefits.
Fewer kids become ill during the season from ear infections and other diseases and asthmatic athletes do better because of improved air quality.
The pool provides for another activity not possible at an indoor facility. Whenever there's snow on the ground, Zimmer has his athletes jump out of the pool during lap sessions and make snow angels.
“It climatizes them,” he said.
Despite benefits expounded by its regular users and staff, Franklin said many residents aren't aware of the pool's winter offerings. There are always people who stop by the pool while driving to see what's going on because they didn't know it was open, she said.
“It's amazing that we still have a large portion of the community that doesn't know.”
- TY BEAVER
Sheryl Lane swims several times a week at the city's only outdoor pool with two friends, using underwater weights and doing exercises to stay in shape.
Steam rises around her as the 78-degree water makes contact with the below-freezing air. Swimming outside in Klamath's winter may seem absurd to some, but Lane wouldn't have it any other way.
And she's not alone.
From high school and club swim team practices to aquatic exercise classes, the Ella Redkey pool on Main Street is rarely empty and at times full of swimmers, especially as more people discover the unique geothermally heated facility.
“They wouldn't swim back inside if you paid them,” said Nancy Anderson, senior lifeguard and aquatics instructor.
Built in the 1950s, the pool always has been heated by a geothermal source that permitted use during the winter months. The water is heated to 82 to 83 degrees Fahrenheit, though winds can bring it down to the high 70s.
A thorough renovation in 1998 increased the pool's dimensions to 25-by-33 yards. It now holds more than 300,000 gallons of water, has a waterslide and an improved filtration and pumping system. The pool is cleaner and the water is clearer since the renovation, said Valerie Franklin, pool manager.
Activities offered at the pool don't subside when there's snow and ice about. Klamath Union and Henley high school swim teams have practiced at the facility for more than five years and aquatic exercise classes also continue.
A month-long diving class is scheduled in January and private swim lessons and pre-competitive youth instruction also is available because of such great demand.
People choose to swim at the outdoor facility when the temperature is below freezing for varied reasons.
Anderson said the pool is often not crowded, and there are always lanes available for lap swimming. Air quality also is better than many indoor facilities because the pool is not in a confined space.
Lane likes the comfort of working out in water, and she doesn't have to fight for exercise machines.
Dan Zimmer, Henley High School swim coach, said he moved his athletes to the pool seven years ago from Oregon Institute of Technology's pool because of scheduling difficulties.
And, he discovered, the move provided other benefits.
Fewer kids become ill during the season from ear infections and other diseases and asthmatic athletes do better because of improved air quality.
The pool provides for another activity not possible at an indoor facility. Whenever there's snow on the ground, Zimmer has his athletes jump out of the pool during lap sessions and make snow angels.
“It climatizes them,” he said.
Despite benefits expounded by its regular users and staff, Franklin said many residents aren't aware of the pool's winter offerings. There are always people who stop by the pool while driving to see what's going on because they didn't know it was open, she said.
“It's amazing that we still have a large portion of the community that doesn't know.”
- TY BEAVER
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Stephanie Patterson Southwell wrote on Oct 4, 2008 6:19 PM:
" I came across this article and find it very interesting. My grandad was the "Southwell" in Southwell & Stilwell :) My dad and uncles were raised in Klamath Falls until they moved to the Portland area. "
Margaret wrote on Apr 29, 2008 11:19 AM:
" It appears the two negative reader comments are associated with the wrong article, as they do not seem to relate. It's unfortunate they are appearing after reading such a nice article about this concert. "
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Rebecca T wrote on Jul 10, 2009 9:16 PM: