Sandia Swimming Pool -- Dayzone -- Albuquerque
Chlorine! You can smell it immediately upon entering the
building -- a passive chemical scent instantly calling up memories of pool
time. There is a small nominal fee for using the pool, and upon entering, one
is confronted by a turnstile and a wooden counter. A quiet, sunburned teen in
red swimwear takes the cash and meekly reminds visitors to please shower
before entering the pool. A bulletin board near by offers water exercise
classes as well as lifeguard training. The heated indoor pool is 25 meters
long, with two diving boards -- one is 3 meters tall and the other is 1 meter
tall. Nearby, a whirlpool tub is ready for visitors to relax and warm up.
Outside the main pool building, there is a slightly smaller kidney-shaped pool
and a great many lounge chairs where sun-worshippers can bask in nice weather.
Planters surround the edges of the outdoor pool deck, adding some greenery and
cheer, and a solid fence prevents outside viewers from looking in.
Obvious exits:
Eubank Blvd <O>
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Indoor Pool: The long pool is
divided with ropes for laps and tiled in blues, greens and whites. It is quite
deep, and the two diving boards are sturdy and well-kept. The water itself is
warm and pleasant.
Whirlpool Tub: The in-ground whirlpool
tub has controls nearby for controlling its temperature, and for switching the
jets on or off. Signs near the controls warn visitors that if you boil
yourself like a lobster in the hot water and suffer various alarming health
consequences, it's your own fault.
Outdoor Pool: The outdoor pool is
kidney-shaped, with a shallow end about 3 feet deep and a deep end at 6 feet.
Although not as warm as the indoor pool, the water is pleasant on a hot day.
The pool is covered and closed during bad weather.
Outdoor Lounge Chairs: Orderly white lounge chairs made of sturdy weatherproof plastic. The chair backs can be
raised and lowered for comfort, through a simple mechanism that is impossible
for some people to figure out. Often pool users lay a towel out on the chair
of their choosing while they swim, like a flag claiming territory against
other sunbathing nations.
Changing Rooms: The walls of the
changing rooms are painted a bright, cheerful blue-green and decorated with
images of fish, coral, and mermaids. The area is divided into sections for men
and women, and each section is equipped with showers, toilets, lockers and
'dry' areas for changing.
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