Carmel High School Unveils a Stunning $55 Million Aquatic Center!

Impressive, updated gymnasiums, weight training areas, and football fields have become prevalent at Indiana high schools. Swimming pools? Not so much.

However, Carmel High School, which has established state records with 38 consecutive IHSAA girls swimming championships and 10 successive boys swimming titles, has consistently outperformed others in the pool. Presently, they’re raising the standard once more — this time, with a brand new, $55 million aquatic center.

“This isn’t exactly one of those projects that would be welcomed in other communities,” stated athletic director Jim Inskeep. “But here, this is something I believe is very fitting of the dedication, commitment, and triumph these two programs have cultivated over the years, along with the (Carmel) Swim Club. It’s something we will take pride in for a long time.”

The newly opened aquatic center, which Carmel unveiled during a Dec. 27 invitational, has been in development since the 2019-20 academic year. Construction kicked off in June 2022, initiating a 31-month building period — along with an additional six to eight months of refurbishments on the old natatorium starting this week.

The facility, which is connected to the previous natatorium, comprises two levels. The ground floor includes locker rooms and a hospitality classroom that overlooks the pool deck, whereas the upper level contains a spacious concourse, artwork suspended over the staircases, accommodations for 1,400 spectators, concessions, and a viewing area that will allow sightlines into the older natatorium when boards are removed from the windows.

Floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of the east side of the aquatic center, allowing natural light to flood the entire facility — a rarity in most swimming venues. The pool is a stretched 50-meter pool, providing some extra space. The diving well, distinct from the main pool, is situated at the western end.

Carmel senior and Olympic medalist Alex Shackell expressed that swimming in the new pool “feels like a dream” following the extensive construction duration. She appreciates the pool’s depth, the enhanced air quality, and the starting blocks.

“It’s like every small detail has been given a lot of consideration,” she noted. “You can really tell.”

Nevertheless, there are numerous features that might elude the average spectator.

The opposing bench is equipped with a ventilation system that extracts chloramines — chemical substances that contribute to poor air quality — from the pool deck. The upper deck also comes with its own ventilation system, making it a few degrees cooler than the pool deck — a feature that is distinctive to this project, according to Inskeep. Every seat in the stands allows for a view of all 10 lanes, a rarity among aquatic centers. Furthermore, the expansive concourse provides room for swimmers to engage in dry-land exercises like crab walking and plyometrics within the facility, rather than academic sections as in the past.

The initiative also incorporates a therapy pool with a ramp that will serve Carmel’s special education program. Inskeep mentioned that a lift would be required to help some of those students access the water in a competition pool, but they can be finicky and challenging to use. A separate pool with a ramp guarantees that will not pose a problem.

The therapy pool is adjacent to another smaller pool where Carmel athletes can warm down and recover from injuries. Swimmers utilized the space during Tuesday’s home meet, observing the divers and conversing with teammates from the pool.

There were multiple reasons behind Carmel’s decision to construct the new facility, according to Inskeep. The old natatorium had reached 26 years of age, resulting in rusted doors and other forms of degradation. Renovating an existing pool presents challenges as it displaces swimmers, Inskeep clarified — a situation complicated by the fact that the Carmel Swim Club has 500 members. The club expanded from 220 swimmers 16 years prior to 500, leading to a cramped experience in the old facility and having elementary school children practicing as late as 9 p.m.

The financing for the project came through bonds, Inskeep mentioned. From the district’s standpoint, this arrangement allows initiatives like the pool to progress without imposing additional taxes on residents.

Carmel swim coach Chris Plumb stated he had specific priorities during the design phase: 10 spacious lanes for competition, the depth of the pool, and the hospitality classroom. His favorite aspect, however, is the floor-to-ceiling windows that present views of the trees and parking lot.

“The other day it was snowing, and it looked like something out of a Pinterest picture,” Plumb remarked.

Plumb, who is also the head coach and CEO of Carmel Swim Club, mentioned he eagerly anticipates hosting prestigious events and generating an economic influence for the community in doing so.

Previously, his club had to lease the IU Indy Natatorium for major competitions. Now? He remarked that Carmel’s facility is likely superior to that of the natatorium, referencing their depth and the volume of warm-up and warm-down areas available once the entire renovation is finalized.

The trophies accumulated by Carmel over the decades will stay in the former natatorium. However, as they prepare to create new memories in the updated natatorium, the records are transitioning over — though on a digital display. It’s a pleasing detail, Inskeep noted, because Carmel swimmers are “regularly exceeding expectations, time after time.”

“Often, you visit schools and you notice, ‘That record’s from 1987,'” he expressed. “I question if that will ever be surpassed. Well, these records are frequently broken, which is a remarkable reflection of what they can achieve.”