Good news for swimmers and families looking to make a splash: the City of Opelika is getting a new outdoor pool at the Opelika SportsPlex. But that’s not all! Keep reading for all the details we know about this upcoming addition and upgrades.
Opelika SportsPlex addition
With plans to break ground this month, the Opelika SportsPlex is adding an eight-lane, 50-meter outdoor pool! In addition to the pool, they are also creating covered seating for about 675 people.
This is big news for the City of Opelika’s swim program, which currently trains out of an eight-lane, 25-yard indoor pool located next to the future home of the new outdoor pool. Not to worry. The indoor pool is not going anywhere and will also be receiving some much needed-upgrades as part of the new project.
For the new outdoor pool at the Opelika SportsPlex, the goal is to open up lane space for the general public between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., when the swim team is most active, and to create opportunities to host big meets.
Tyler McGill, 2012 Olympic gold medalist and the City of Opelika’s swim program leader, told reporters that there are currently lap swimmers that would like to use the indoor pool in the evenings but cannot due to lack of room when the swim team is using the pool. However, this new pool will allow those members to use the facility even when they are hosting outdoor meets.
McGill believes that this addition will benefit both the swim program and the city. It is projected that in the beginning, hosting larger meets will bring in about $2 million per year to the City of Opelika.
Additional upgrades for Opelika pools
The city’s project doesn’t just end with a new outdoor pool at the Opelika SportsPlex; the Covington Rec Center’s 25-yard pool, which was built in the 1950s, will get an overhaul.
An entirely new pool at Covington will aim to create the “ultimate family fun” outdoor pool. Upgrades will include the addition of a large water slide, water play features, a spray pad, a zero-depth entry and a pavilion for events. Plus, this pool will also feature a few 25-yard lap lanes for recreational and exercise lap swimming.
Both the SportsPlex pool project and Covington pool project total to about $6.5 million.
Read more about the projects on our past blog, “In the News: Aquatics Facilities Upgrades in Opelika.”
Summary
Excited for this new addition and expansion of our local aquatic amenities? Make sure to follow along and keep an eye out for the planned opening date around Memorial Day of 2024! And if you happen to stumble across any properties that pique your interest in the area, contact Ryan Roberts—your local expert on all things real estate.
And finally, continue reading our blogs for more community news and events.
