McMurtrey Aquatic Center facts for kids
| City of Bakersfield | |
McMurtrey Aquatics Center's zero depth entry pool.
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| Location | Bakersfield, CA |
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| Owner | City of Bakersfield |
| Capacity | N/A |
| 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 playing in the water in Bakersfield, California, USA. It's located right in downtown Bakersfield, close to the Rabobank Arena. The center opened in June 2004. It has a big recreation pool and a heated Olympic-sized pool, perfect for competitions. Lifeguards are always on duty to keep everyone safe.
You can enjoy many activities here, like fitness classes, lap swimming, scuba diving, and even water polo. Local high schools also use the center for their swim meets. Many people from the Bakersfield community visit for recreational swimming and fun.
Contents
What You Can Do at McMurtrey Aquatic Center
The Recreation Pool
The recreation pool is huge, about 8,551 square feet! It has a special zero depth entry, which means it's like walking into the ocean, getting deeper slowly. This pool is great for kids with fun play features.
You'll find double water slides that splash into a plunge pool. There are also diving boards and an area for water volleyball. Plus, there's special interactive equipment that sprays water for even more fun.
Near the recreation area, you can find picnic spots for public use. You can even rent these areas for parties. A snack bar is also nearby, making it easy to grab a treat. Lockers and showers are available in two locker rooms.
The Olympic-Sized Pool
The heated Olympic-sized pool is designed for serious swimming and diving. It has 9 lanes that are 25 yards long. It also has 9 lanes that are 50 meters long, which is the official Olympic length.
This pool features a pair of diving boards. One is 1 meter high, and the other is 3 meters high. The shallow end of the pool is 3 feet, 6 inches deep. The deep end goes down to 14 feet, 2 inches, perfect for diving.
Why It's Called McMurtrey Aquatic Center
The McMurtrey Aquatic Center is named after the McMurtrey family. They have lived in Bakersfield for a very long time. On March 13, 2003, the family generously donated $250,000 to help build the center.
Don McMurtrey, speaking for his family, said they wanted the center to be a modern and excellent facility for the community. The family also wanted to help provide money for equipment. This equipment is important for school swim competitions and other water activities.
Special Events and World Records
Honoring Olympians
On October 24, 2004, the McMurtrey Aquatic Center celebrated some amazing athletes. Four local Olympians, who had trained at the center, were honored for their success at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Gabe Woodward won a bronze medal in swimming.
- Rebecca Giddens won a silver medal in kayak slalom.
- Larsen Jensen won a silver medal in competitive swimming.
- Joey Hansen won a gold medal in rowing.
A World Record Wedding
The aquatic center also made news on April 5, 2006. Stuart and Misty Rex received an official certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records. They had held their wedding underwater at the center on March 26, 2005.
In November 2005, Guinness World Records confirmed their event was a world record. With 208 people attending, it was the largest underwater wedding ever performed!
