With underground facilities mostly in place and above-ground construction the focal point, the progress of Lake Oswego’s forthcoming recreation and aquatic center — poised to become a community cornerstone — is more apparent every day.
Last week, Parks and Recreation Director Ivan Anderholm provided a tour of the Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatic Center, which will include multiple pools, a gymnasium, meeting and exercise rooms and more next to the also renovated Lake Oswego Municipal Golf Course on Stafford Road. Here are a few tidbits from the tour.
Completion date slated for later this year
Anderholm said construction could be complete by November and that the center would open likely in late 2024 or early 2025. The opening will coincide with that of the revamped golf course as the two share a common lobby and front desk.
“For sure it will be late this or early next year. We are not anticipating any major delays moving forward,” Anderholm said.
Construction has gone relatively smoothly
Anderholm said that although there have been some minor delays, contractors haven’t had supply chain issues — which he said was a welcomed change from previous years when acquiring certain materials was challenging. The only notable delays came from noticing some issues with the soil and needing to excavate more than expected.
“We haven’t had any big delays,” Anderholm said.
Competitive pool
The 33-meter-by-25-yard competitive swimming pool will have 12 swimming lanes, but the number can be altered via an adjustable bulkhead that serves as a barrier within the pool. The pool will also have small areas for water polo teams to practice (and water polo matches can also take place at the pool). The pool will be nine feet deep and will be amenable to lap swimming, water aerobics and advanced lessons. It will also have murals dedicated to Lakeridge High School and Lake Oswego High School, as the project is a collaboration with the Lake Oswego School District and the schools’ swim and water polo teams will compete there.
Anderholm noted that the pool will not have glass walls as swimmers stated they would prefer not to have natural light entering the center. The exterior wall will be a mix of colors including greens, browns and blues.
Leisure pool
A leisure pool with three lap lanes that go from 3.5 to 5 feet deep will reside next to the competitive pool. The pool also includes a 23-foot slide that will swirl from near the top of the building and into the water.
More facilities
Within a separate space, there will be a lobby area and reception desk for the swim center and the golf course, an office for administrative staff, a fitness center that will feature dance and exercise classes, a gymnasium that will have basketball and volleyball courts, three pickleball courts and an exercise room.
Anderholm said LORAC will allow administrative and programming staff, which are currently scattered between a few city buildings in town, to have a more centrally located space to collaborate. Further, he said this part of the center was upgraded to be more seismically secure than the swim center so that it can serve as a gathering space in case of a major natural disaster. It will have outlets powered by an external generator.
“It’s designed to withstand an earthquake so we wouldn’t have to evacuate the building,” Anderholm said.
Anderholm added that there will be a separate exercise room with a nice view of the golf course and the gymnasium will include a large projector so that swim races can be livestreamed as teams hangout.
Golf course changes
Further, there will be patios outside of the rec center for people to enjoy the scenery of the golf course. Anderholm didn’t anticipate there being safety issues in terms of golfers hitting errant balls toward the center because the nearest hole is a short par 3. And he felt there was enough space between the two sites.
Anderholm said having a swim and recreation center interwoven with a golf course is unique, but he imagined that parents will drop their kids off to swim and then play a round of golf, for instance. The city renovated the golf course from an 18-hole par 3 course to a 9-hole executive course and the wait to open has allowed the grass to further grow in, Anderholm said. Through this project, the city also renovated the golf course clubhouse. The city got rid of the restaurant (there will be food service in the LORAC lobby area) and Anderholm said there will be more space for small events.
In terms of parking, the facility will have 178 spaces and 11 electric vehicle charging stations. Further, Anderholm said that Hazelia Fields and Lakeridge High School can act as auxiliary parking for big swim meets.
Anderholm said he is “stoked” to see the completion and opening of these facilities and that watching the project evolve from the planning phase through this point has been rewarding.
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