Collegiate Times

After years of planning and construction, the Christiansburg Aquatic Center on North Franklin Street is finally a reality.

“It’s going to be fantastic for our athletes, it’s going to be fantastic for the future of Virginia Tech swimming and diving, and it’s going to be fantastic for the community,” said Ron Piemonte, Tech head diving coach.

The $18 million aquatic center — the product of a collaboration between Tech and the town of Christiansburg — is expected to be beneficial to the region as well as to the university.

“It’s a very unique setup between Virginia Tech and the town of Christiansburg,” said Ned Skinner, Tech head swim coach. “Virginia Tech wouldn’t have been able to have a pool like this and neither would the town of Christiansburg. It’s going to serve a lot of groups.”

At its grand opening July 18, Christiansburg Mayor Richard Ballengee officially cut the ribbon amid performances by Tech swimmers and divers, and the screams and splashes of children trying out the two-story, triple-loop water slide.

According to Skinner, the aquatic center, which boasts a 50-meter competition pool, platforms for 1- and 3-meter springboards, and a diving tower with 5-, 7.5- and 10-meter platforms, will be a landmark on the East Coast. 

He said that in the ACC, only Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech can now claim such a state-of-the-art facility. 

“It’s something we’ve been very excited about for the last six years,” Skinner said. “It’s been a process, but they have really done it first class.”

Christiansburg had originally planned a much smaller pool, but collaboration with Tech allowed it to become a true competition facility, Skinner said. 

Tech has a contract with the town of Christiansburg for the facility. According to Terry Caldwell, the center’s director of aquatics, Tech will pay $250,000 per year for 20 years to use the pool, though its lease to use the facility lasts 25 years. 

 “We have a 25-year extended lease, which includes the locker room and our office,” explained Skinner. “We pay them per year and have access to the pool for the next 25 years.”

Skinner said that the swim team plans to practice there about 60 percent of the time. The team currently uses the facilities at War Memorial and McComas halls. 

Continue Reading: 12 Next » 

A version of this article appeared in the Aug 9 issue of the Collegiate Times.