McMurtrey Aquatic Center facts for kids
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City of Bakersfield
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McMurtrey Aquatics Center's zero depth entry pool.
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| Location | Bakersfield, CA |
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| Owner | City of Bakersfield |
| Capacity | NIL |
| Field size | Olympic-sized pool (9 25-yard lanes, 9 50-meter lanes), Recreation pool (8,551 sq ft) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2003 |
| Opened | August 20, 2003 |
| Construction cost | $6.2 million USD |
| Architect | Rossetti architects |
| Tenants | |
| All of Kern County | |
The McMurtrey Aquatic Center is a fun place for swimming, diving, and other water activities. It is located in Bakersfield, California, close to the Mechanics Bank Arena. The center first opened its doors in June 2004.
This amazing facility has a large recreation pool and a warm competition pool. Lifeguards are always on duty to keep everyone safe. You can enjoy many activities here, like aquatic fitness, diving, lap swimming, and water polo. Local high schools also use the center for swim meets. Many people from the Bakersfield community come here to swim and have fun.
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Dive into Fun: The Recreation Pool
The recreation pool is a huge area, about 8,551 square feet (794 square meters). It has a special zero depth entry, which means you can walk right into the water like a beach. Kids love the play features, including two exciting water slides.
There is also a plunge pool at the end of the slides and diving boards. You can play water volleyball or try out the interactive wet play equipment. Outside the pool, there are picnic areas for public use. You can even rent these areas for parties!
Swim Like an Olympian: The Competition Pool
The McMurtrey Aquatic Center also has a heated Olympic-sized pool. This pool is perfect for serious swimmers and competitions. It has nine lanes that are 25 yards long and nine lanes that are 50 meters long.
There are also one-meter and three-meter diving boards. The shallow end of the pool is 3 feet, 6 inches deep. The deep end goes down to 14 feet, 2 inches, which is great for diving.
Who Are the McMurtreys?
The McMurtrey Aquatic Center is named after the McMurtrey family. They have lived in Bakersfield for a long time. The family generously donated $250,000 on March 13, 2003.
Don McMurtrey, speaking for his family, said they wanted the center to be a top-notch facility for everyone. They also wanted to help provide equipment for school swim competitions.
Local Heroes: Olympians Honored
On October 24, 2004, the McMurtrey Aquatic Center celebrated some local heroes. Four Olympians who had trained at the center were honored. They had achieved great success at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Gabe Woodward, a graduate of Stockdale High School, won a bronze medal. He was part of the Men's 4 x 100 meter relay team.
- Rebecca Giddens, who lived part-time in Kernville, earned a silver medal. She competed in the Women's K1 kayak slalom.
- Larsen Jensen, an alumnus of Garces Memorial High School, won a silver medal. He swam in the 1,500 meter freestyle race.
- Joey Hansen, a graduate of Bakersfield High School, won a gold medal. He was part of the Men's Eight Rowing event.
