Swimming pool to get dome
By Dwight Otwell Editor

This is an example of the type of dome structure that is to cover the pool.

A dome that will allow for year round swimming will be installed over the swimming pool at the Hiwassee Valley Pool & Wellness Center next Wednesday.

The pool will be closed on Wednesday, October 3 and Thursday, October 4 for installation of the pool from Yeadon Domes, out of Texas.

Jesse Navarro, executive director of the facility, said Yeardon is an industry leader in air supported structures. The dome will actually arrive Friday.

On October 3, Murphy High School football players will help put the dome up. Huge air furnaces next to the pool will be installed this weekend. The furnaces will blow hot air into the dome and lift it, Navarro said.

Once the dome is up, the water temperature will be heated to about 87 degrees and maintained at that temperature.

"We have to have a balance in the outside air temperature, the air temperature inside the dome and the water temperature," Navarro said.

The pool will be lit and with the dome it will be "very eye catching in the evening hours", Navarro said.

Once the dome is up, a regular schedule of swimming will begin, including water aerobics, swim team, etc.

The dome has been paid for through fund raising.

"Economically, we had a huge response when we opened. Now, we are getting two or three new members a week, We are just fine economically. We have about 1,200 members. A lot of people see how lucky we are to have this facility," Navarro said.

The dome will be taken down in late spring or early summer.