NIRSA facility feature: University of Minnesota Duluth Recreational Sports Outdoor Program Pool

Home to more than 9,500 students, the University of Minnesota Duluth features a robust recreational sports outdoor program that encourages students to engage in a healthy lifestyle by partaking in a wide variety of recreation activities. The recreation program takes advantage of the university’s proximity to Lake Superior and its many tributaries. Several water-based facilities including the Surf Shack, Boat Shed, and the St. Louis River Outpost offer watercraft storage and activity staging areas for whitewater kayaking and canoeing, sea kayaking, surfing, and stand-up paddle boarding. In the winter months, students were traditionally able to utilize the university’s indoor pool to work on their paddling skills; however, by the early 2020s the pool—originally built in the 1950s—became in need of repair. Issues with leaking, poor filtration, and outdated plumbing led to decreased efficiency and, subsequently, the dated structure no longer met the needs of the modern-day student population.

The university worked with Architectural Resources, Inc. on a pool renovation throughout 2020-2021. This renovation included not only replacing the components which were no longer functioning properly, but also the installation of an innovative river flow pump system. This system allows pool users to experience currents like those that would occur naturally during outdoor activities like surfing or whitewater kayaking. The innovative system allows users to practice their skills indoors when inclement weather makes doing so outdoors impossible. The renovated program pool met a very specific need. In early 2023, it was honored with a NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award in recognition of its architectural design, functionality, and effectiveness at meeting the needs of the campus community.

“The renovation of the University of Minnesota Duluth Recreational Sports Outdoor Program Pool represents a sustainable and innovative approach to bringing new life into old facilities,” says Dr. Adam Burke, RSOP Director. “Winning the NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award for this project reinforces our commitment to being an industry leader in collegiate recreation, while also celebrating the role of innovation within the facility renovation process,” he adds. “This award,” says Adam, “helps recognize the value of providing experiential education opportunities for UMD students, while remaining financially responsible through this one-of-a-kind pool renovation!”

About the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program Pool

The renovation of the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program Pool required collaboration between architects and staff members with specialized skill sets. Instructors in traditional aquatics, whitewater paddling, and sea kayaking brought their knowledge bases to the project, ensuring that the pool would meet the needs of users participating in multiple activities.

The original galvanized piping, circulation pumps, filtration system, pool deck, tile gutters, and pool liner were all replaced with new components, many of which were more efficient or designed to decrease labor. The water heating system and locker rooms were updated, and utility metering and starting blocks for competitions were added. Perhaps the most significant component of the renovation, however, is the addition of the river flow pumps.

The pumps have multiple settings that allow for smooth flowing water, aerated flowing water, or a combination of the two. For traditional lap swimming, the smooth setting is used. The aerated water setting is more appropriate for surfing or whitewater paddling. The incorporation of the river flow pumps allows many activities to take place in the pool which were previously not attainable in an indoor pool setting.

The conditions simulated by the pumps also allow for students to practice their various water sports skills in a controlled environment before heading out into the open water. This ability to practice in an indoor space helps the recreation program fulfill its mission to instruct participants in safety practices in and around the water.

About the Architect

Architectural Resources, Inc. is a Minnesota-based firm that provides services in architecture, engineering, interior design, and landscape architecture with a commitment to meeting the needs of everyone who lives and works in the spaces they design. They employ about 30 people in two office locations.

Architectural Resource Inc.’s projects span commercial, culture, healthcare, parks and recreation, and education sectors across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Recent projects in addition to the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program Pool include the Range Regional Airport Hangar, Brookston Elderly Complex, and a remodel of Digi-Key Electronics. This is not their first time working with the University of Minnesota Duluth; the firm also remodeled the university’s dining center in 2016. Additionally, they have completed numerous other projects in the field of education, working with early childhood centers, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and higher education facilities.

About NIRSA’s Outstanding Facilities Awards

The annual NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Awards, sponsored by Mondo, recognize the innovative designs of new, renovated, or expanded collegiate recreational facilities of NIRSA member institutions. Facilities receiving this award are a standard by which other campus recreation facilities should be measured, and from which others can benefit.

Applications for the 2025 NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award will open in Fall 2024. Eligibility guidelines, selection criteria, and entry fee details can be found on the NIRSA website.