Not including the 6 years I lived in Lake Oswego as a teenager, I have been living in Lake Oswego for 22 years. In all of that time, I have been wanting a decent swim center. I don’t swim regularly, I’m a walker, but I do love to swim. I think the reason I don’t swim regularly is because the current city pool is, well, awful. It’s located at Lake Oswego High School and was built many decades ago. It’s old, and dank, and just not inviting. So the news I got in the latest issue of Hello LO really lifted my spirits.
On March 16th, the Lake Oswego City Council, along with the Lake Oswego School Board, voted unanimously to proceed with planning and construction of a new Community Recreation and Aquatics Center. The plan is to build it where the Municipal Golf Course currently sits at the junction of Stafford Rd and Overlook Dr. The planned facility will include a lap pool, warm water pool (I think that means a spa), plus space for meetings and activities.
I currently swim at the SW Community Center in the Multnomah Village neighborhood of Portland. It’s about a 15 minute drive from my house, but worth it. I so hope what Lake Oswego builds will be something similar.
The nicest pool I’ve ever enjoyed was in Victoria, B.C. Called Saanich Commonwealth Place, it was built for The Commonwealth Games in 1994. What this swim center has that I think is pretty much pure genius, is a library and a coffee shop. Think about it. The kids need some exercise, you want a cup of coffee, and everyone needs a good book. Pure Genius.
Wishing you well in these strange times, and hoping that this swim center can still come to life,
Dianne