Temescal Pool

Given that this facility is directly behind a high school, the lap swimming schedule appears to be designed to use the time when the pool is not required for educational purposes. That said, the weekday lap swimming times are fairly generous: there are early morning, lunchtime, and evening sessions each day. Check on the facility website, though, to make sure before you go. Casual swimmers, other than those wishing to do laps, don't really get a look in at all, making for a much better experience to be had by those that do!

The facility appears to have undergone little by way of change since it opened in the 1930's (the men's locker room is positively Spartan: it took me right back to my own schooldays in the 1960's). It serves to remind us of the efforts taken by enlightened politicians on both sides of the Atlantic to help alleviate the Great Depression through investment in public works programs.

Aside from the reminder of modern history that the pool provided for me, I thoroughly enjoyed swimming there. On my early morning weekday visits, the six lanes (two each for fast, medium, and slow) amply accommodated the level of demand: I never had to share a lane with more than three other swimmers. Friendly staff; floats, and pull buoys are available. However, take note of the 100 foot length, common for pools of the Temescal's age: if you want to swim 1,000 metres, you will need to do 33 lengths.

Most of the above remains true, one that is very much not true anymore is that there are rarely more than three swimmers per lane. I wish. During AM swims, there are often four or five people per lane.

This New Deal Era pool is so appealing - outside and a great length, you can get your strokes going before doing a flip turn. The lifeguards are exceptionally friendly and there are rarely more than three people per lane. An exceptional value for the area.