Broward Beach may finally start living up to its name.
July 19 marked the beginning of the master planning session for the Broward Pool Project, headed by landscape architect Jonathan Martin and his associates at RDG Architecture, the firm behind the recent Southwest Recreation Center facelift. This is the first step UF's Department of Recreational Sports has taken in giving the Broward pool a makeover.
If all goes according to plan, instead of having a field behind Broward Dining and the current pool, the area will be transformed into what may be the most epic aquatic attraction in collegiate history.
That's no exaggeration. The final design shown at meetings included a lazy river, flow-rider-simulated surfing, leisure pool, a gigantic movie screen with a stage, in-water lounging, a drop-slide, water volleyball and water basketball.
But how did they manage to squeeze all of that into such a confined area?
"We talked earlier about incorporating these features within the lazy river so it becomes a continuous activity zone," Martin said. "I think we've taken that to the extreme."
Extreme is the right word. The lazy river would be the centerpiece, or interstate, if you will, to a series of different pools, each with a different activity. The river itself will be around a three-and-a-half- to five-minute float, depending on how the flow is adjusted.
The activity pools are where things really start to get interesting. The first is the "leisure pool" elevated about 8 feet above the lazy river. Martin suggested that it be an infinity pool, which would give the illusion that the water just tapers off the edge instead of having a traditional pool. This would also allow for a waterfall to go over the lazy river.
Another one of the pools will feature a "drop slide," which basically means the slide abruptly stops about 6 to 8 feet above the pool.
"It gives it a little bit more excitement than a regular slide," Martin said.
There will be several other pools with features like in-water lounging, in-water basketball and in-water volleyball.
But we haven't touched on what some are already talking about: the double-flow rider.
"People have been really excited about the wave rider because it's kind of unique and it should have a big draw," said Gary Zetrouer, associate director for Resource and Project Management at the Department of Recreational Sports.
The flow rider is one of those attractions cruise ships show you to try to lure you to the Bahamas, only to find out only one of their ships that services Antarctica has it. It shoots a large flow of water over a somewhat soft tarp at an angled 5-foot ramp. People ease on and can ride the wave, which simulates surfing, using special boards for standing or boogie boards.
Martin promises there won't be a lot of waiting in line to use it, either; he said the company that manufactures the flow rider says between 360 and 480 people can go on the ride every hour.
"It's about a 30-second ride for most people because the average rider doesn't stay up very long," Martin said. "It's probably more fun to watch people wipe out than it is to go and go and go."
If opened, the new aquatic center would most likely be a part of the Broward Outdoor Recreation Complex, which would limit its use to UF students, faculty, staff and their spouses, according to Zetrouer.
But many obstacles lay in the path of the new Broward pool, especially funding.
"We don't have any idea where the funding is coming from at this point," Zetrouer said.
He also reiterated that these meetings have just been a part of the master planning process, and at some point the Department of Recreational Sports will have to present their ideas to Student Government and other bodies before any work can begin.
"RecSports and housing are both really excited about the prospects of this," Zetrouer said.
Not everyone is so thrilled with the idea, though.
Nutritional science major Jamie Fromm thinks it's a waste.
"It's not very necessary; a lot of students like to go out there and play Frisbee and hangout," said Fromm, a senior. "I feel like if they want to put a Wet ‘n Wild across from Broward, it's just a waste of resources."
Whether you like it or not, the RDG architects will be coming back in late August or early September for more meetings to push the pool project forward.
