To resolve this issue, the first option considered was to design custom fibreglass pools to address various technical requirements. However, the cost of a custom pool was three times that of a stock-shelf design. Therefore, financial restrictions eliminated this idea.
As the commercial pool requirements unfolded, the need for multiple pool depths resulted in a space crunch. This created the need to stack the pool and hydrotherapy mechanical equipment. For example, the filter and acid tanks were installed on one level, the pump and the automatic controller were installed on the second level, and the heater was installed on the third level. Similarly, the hydraulic treadmills had to be stacked on custom shelving units to reduce the footprint of the equipment rooms.
Today, all buildings have to be designed with accessibility in mind. This is especially true when 80 per cent of the business’s clientele have mobility issues or are temporarily disabled. Therefore, careful attention to traffic flow, wider access areas, power assisted doors, elevators, and special water-entry features that could handle this range of clientele were imperative.
The most demanding challenge, however, was the classification of the pools. The normal concern for commercial pools is how they are classed (i.e. class A or B), water turnover rates (e.g. four to six times per day), and accessibility. However, in the case of this project, due to the higher water temperatures and the manner in which the pools were going to be used (for vigorous exercise), a new challenge emerged. The required turnover rate in a swim spa is 20 times per day. This also caused some confusion over chlorine demand. The increased water temperature with an unknown number of exercising clients also raised some concerns. All of this was further complicated by the lack of scientific standards; therefore, everything had to be negotiated.
To remedy the situation, a great deal of time was spent researching and presenting the reasons behind the differences in the old concrete standards versus the new building materials and the non-traditional use of a swimming pool. Fortunately the city of Ottawa building department and the politicians involved were progressive and extremely helpful in resolving all of these unique challenges.
The final product
Despite never building a commercial pool—never mind four in one building—the Liquid Gym business group selected McKie Pools and Spas in Pembroke, Ont., to design and install the hydrotherapy pools for this project.
How to proceed?
Not knowing how daunting this challenge would be, McKie Pools used the resources made available to the company through the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada (PHTCC) by participating in every commercial pool-related seminar program available at the 2013 Canadian Pool & Spa Conference & Expo. Robert Wood, PHTCC executive director, also connected McKie Pools with other companies and individuals that specialized in commercial aquatics. McKie Pools also registered their client to attend the trade show. The conference proved to be invaluable as the project was explained to various exhibitors who passed along their knowledge and experience, while the PHTCC provided checklists and the necessary contacts to tackle the project head on. Was it easy? No, but it was possible thanks to hard work and the support of the company’s suppliers and various PHTCC members.
Hydrotherapy pools designed for different needs
The facility comprises three areas, physical exercise, training, and physiotherapy, with a total footprint of 743 m2 (8000 sf). The aquatics area includes four pools—each independently controlled for heat with individual variable-speed pumps (VSPs), sand filters, and automatic chlorination and acid systems to accommodate flexible training requirements. Water depths are different in each pool, as well as adjustable. As a result, the pools were given a class B designation, but are capable of turning the water over 10 times a day in anticipation of future growth. The pools provide clients with the following options:
Therapy pool
This pool is 3.7 x 4.3 m (12 x 14 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 33 C (92 F). It has a water depth of 1.29 m (4.23 ft) and includes a treadmill with camera and television monitor, two aqua bikes, and an upper body exercise station. The therapy pool is used by the in-house physiotherapists and is available for rent by external physiotherapists.
LG 1 pool
This pool is 3.7 x 11.3 m (12 x 37 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 30.5 C (87 F). It has a water depth of 1.42 m (4.65 ft) and includes four treadmills with cameras and television monitors, along with six aqua bikes.
LG 2 pool
This pool is 3.7 x 11.3 m (12 x 37 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 29.4 C (85 F). It has a water depth of 1.37 m (4.49 ft) and includes three treadmills with cameras and television monitors and five aqua bikes. The facility also uses this pool to host spin classes.
Endless pool
This pool, which has a water depth of 1.32 m (4.33 ft), is 2.4 x 4.8 m (8 x 16 ft) and the water temperature is kept at 29 C (84 F). This aquatic therapy station features a swim current for swim-in-place training, along with a treadmill.
A little about the equipment
The aquatic treadmills used in the therapy pools are designed with fitness and physical rehabilitation in mind. By using a submerged treadmill, the natural buoyancy of the water supports the user, therefore eliminating 50 to 90 per cent of their body weight. This allows the user to maintain or increase their cardiovascular stamina, muscle toning, and flexibility by eliminating some of the gravitational stress placed on joints while walking or running. The speed of the treadmill can be adjusted for all levels of fitness and capabilities. Each treadmill includes side rails that can be adjusted to provide the user with additional stability while walking or running. Each treadmill also has a massage hose that can help to reduce swelling and scar tissue breakup in specific areas.
