Pool FAQ

Update on SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

Update on August 30, 2024

Overview of Activities Complete (8/19/24-8/30/24)
The concrete overlay anchors and concrete placement is complete
The concrete overlay was tested to locate any areas that may have become unbonded during the concrete process.
Shotblasting of the concrete overlay was completed allowing for the tile installation to start.

Remaining Milestone Dates
Tile system install starts 8/30/24 – In progress
Tile system completion 10/2/24
IDPH/ROE inspection 10/3/24
Substantial completion 10/7/24

Update on August 16, 2024

Pool on track for completion by Oct. 11 Senior Night

At the Special Facilities Committee Meeting on Friday, Aug. 16, our construction partners milestone dates for the completion of the pool deck. Please see the dates below, which include a completion date of Oct. 7, 2024. Use the following link to View the Entire Presentation from the Facilities Meeting.

Milestone Dates - Deck Replacement
August 23, 2024: Concrete Overlay Complete

August 30, 2024: Shot Blast Complete

August 30, 2024: Tile System Install Starts

October 2, 2024: Tile System Complete

October 3, 2024: IDPH/ROE Inspection

October 7, 2024: Substantial Completion

October 11, 2024: Girls Swimming & Diving Senior Night

Update on August 8, 2024

Hinsdale Central’s Don Watson Aquatic Center has been closed throughout the summer to address tented and cracked tiles on the pool deck. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to remediate the issue, District 86 contracted with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) to investigate the root cause(s). WJE’s team of architects, engineers, and materials scientists identified multiple issues with the original design/installation, and recommended a full replacement of the pool tile deck.

We now expect the pool to reopen on Monday, October 7. Construction teams will be working six days a week to meet this target.

District 86 understands the impact that these construction delays have on all of our stakeholders—from our student-athletes and physical education students, to our clubs and greater community. We appreciate your patience and understanding and will keep you informed as the project progresses.

For more information, please visit our Pool FAQ Webpage. Below, please find more information on temporary plans and procedures established due to the reopening delay:

What does this mean for the Hinsdale Central girls swimming and diving team?
Swimming Coach Bob Barber, Athletic Director Michael Jezioro, and the Hinsdale Central administrative team have been working hard to minimize the impact to Red Devil student-athletes and students who use the pool as part of Physical Education. They have also been working to ensure the continued success of these programs.

A plan for competitions is already in place through Sept. 28, 2024, which includes hosting the Kendall Pickering Invite on Aug. 31, 2024, at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont (diving at Hinsdale South), and moving dual meets to opponents’ pools. We anticipate hosting Senior Night at Hinsdale Central in the Don Watson Aquatic Center on Oct. 11, 2024.

Practices will be held at both Hinsdale South and the FMC Natatorium, and may not take place at typical times. Stakeholders can use the following link to View the Practice Schedule. Hinsdale Central is working to arrange transportation to and from practices, and will ensure parking is available for the student-athletes at the high school. Additionally, use of the athletic locker rooms at Hinsdale Central will be made available to student-athletes who return to school after practicing off campus in the mornings.

We understand that these changes impact our student-athletes’ daily, athletic and academic routines, and apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you, in advance, to our Red Devils for their sacrifice and patience. 

What does this mean for Hinsdale Central Physical Education classes?
Alternative plans have been made for physical education classes that typically utilize the pool. The Aquatics and Water Games and Lifeguarding courses will modify their curriculum and prioritize classroom instruction as well as alternative aerobic activities early in the year. No licensure or certification will be affected.

Other P.E. courses with planned swimming instruction will reschedule that instruction for later in the school year.

What does this mean for clubs and others who typically rent the Don Watson Aquatic Center?

Unfortunately, the Don Watson Aquatic Center will not be available to rent until the conclusion of construction. At that time, we will resume with normal rental procedures. Again, we apologize for this inconvenience and remain extremely appreciative of our partnerships within the Hinsdale-area swimming community. We look forward to continuing those partnerships for years to come.

What is causing the construction delays?

Following the recommendation of a full replacement of the pool tile deck, the District 86 construction team (Pepper Construction, ARCON Associates, WJE) determined an appropriate design for the pool deck replacement. Construction work began before school was out for the 2023-24 school year.

A key component of the pool tile deck is the concrete overlay, which must be bonded to the concrete structural slab in a fashion that prevents future movement of the floor system. Several attempts during summer 2024 to chemically bond the new layer of concrete failed, which resulted in a shift to mechanically bond the new layer.

The work to mechanically bond the new layer of concrete to the structural slab began on Wednesday, August 7. Construction crews will continue working six days a week to complete the project, which now has an expected reopening date of Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

What happens if there is a further delay in construction?

While we do not expect further delays, there is always the possibility that unexpected issues could push back the opening date. If that occurs, we will continue to work diligently on alternative plans that minimize the impact on our students, teams and partners. We will continue to update the community as work progresses.

Is the construction also addressing the tile issues in the boys and girls locker rooms?

Temporary repairs are being made that will enable the locker rooms and showers to be fully available, safe and functional during the 2024-25 school year. Permanent repairs will be completed during the summer of 2025.
 

Below are answers to several frequently asked questions about the pools at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South. This page will be revised when new information and/or updates become available. 

CENTRAL POOL
What is happening with the pool tile deck?
What is causing the temperature and humidity regulation issues on the pool deck?
What is causing the temperature and humidity regulation issues in the spectator seating area?
Are there any concerns related to chlorine, chemicals, or environmental effects on the swimmers and divers?

SOUTH POOL
What is happening with the pool tile deck?
Is air quality testing being completed at South?

Executive Summary - Hinsdale Central and South Pool Repairs

• Pool deck tiles for Central are scheduled to be replaced in the summer of 2024 and South in the summer of 2025.

• HVAC system on the pool deck at Hinsdale Central is being monitored and will be rebuilt in summer 2024.

• HVAC system in the spectator area at Hinsdale Central does not need repair; however, an engineer is addressing humidity and air circulation issues.

• Water and air quality at Hinsdale Central have been tested; the district is working on ventilation modifications. 

• Board of Education formed a Special Pool Task Force composed of stakeholders from local club and high school swim programs, as well as community members who served on the original referendum Special Committee.

CENTRAL POOL

What is happening with the pool tile deck?
Following completion of the pool, the tile deck tented and cracked. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to remediate the issue, the district contracted with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) to investigate the root cause(s) of the floor's failure. WJE provided the district with its investigation report in July 2023, which identified multiple issues with the original design and installation of the floor. After reviewing the report, a notice of defect was issued to the district’s architect and construction manager demanding the full replacement of the pool tile deck. No repairs will need to be made to the men’s and women’s locker rooms. The district will not incur any cost in conjunction with the replacement of the pool tile deck. All costs associated with the replacement of the floor, including the investigation and legal fees, will be paid by the architect, construction manager and contractor. 

The Facilities Committee and the Special Pool Task Force worked with the district architect, construction manager, and WJE to evaluate a new floor system. At the February 9, 2024, Facilities Committee meeting the proposed design was approved and direction was given to submit for an IDPH permit and begin procurement. The pool has been closed since May 1, 2024, and is expected to be up and running again by Oct. 7, 2024.

What is causing the temperature and humidity regulation issues on deck?
The new Dectron (Dehumidification) unit has experienced multiple warranty issues since being installed two years ago. 

Timeline of control/comfort concerns on the pool deck area

August 2021 - School staff/administration indicated comfort concerns in the spectator areas shortly after the project’s substantial completion. An investigation began with the manufacturer.

January - March 2022 - Investigation/troubleshooting of pressurization and condensation.

May 2022 - Repairs made to damaged distribution ductwork.

August 2022 - Staff/administration reported additional concerns.

October 2022 - Identified and repaired damage to the return air ductwork (concealed within a shaft).

November 2022 - Adjustments made to the Building Automation System (BAS) for the spectator HVAC unit in order to address comfort concerns in the spectator area. Standalone room temperature and humidity sensors were installed by the district. 

March 2023 - Repaired leak in the compressor refrigeration.

May 2023 - Final equipment inspection and air balancing of the Dectron unit. Work done on an extended warranty. 

September - October 2023 - Failed compressor, control board and exhaust fan were replaced and a spare compressor was left onsite in the event of future failure. Dectron provided a proposal to the district to rebuild the Dectron unit. This proposal was evaluated by the Facilities Committee and Special Pool Task Force.

October 2023 - November 2023 - Dectron conducted a root cause analysis on the current unit that was completed in December of 2023. After completion of the root cause analysis, the district administration and the construction team met with Dectron to assess a unit rebuild option and a unit replacement option. These options were presented to the Facilities Committee and Special Pool Task Force on February 16, 2024. At a special Facilities Committee meeting on March 1, 2024, the Committee gave direction to move forward with rebuilding the dectron unit. The rebuild option was selected since it provided extended warranties, additional inspections, and will be completed at no cost to the district. 

What is causing the temperature and humidity regulation issues in the spectator area?
There is a separate HVAC unit that controls the temperature in the spectator seating area. The district engaged Millies Engineering Group to review the design of the system, determine if the system is performing as designed, and make recommendations that would improve the overall comfort in the space. Millies Engineering Group reviewed the HVAC system that controls the environment in the spectator space and recommended increasing the outside air damper to bring in more outside air and to add supply registers to the supply air ducts. 

Are there any concerns related to chlorine, chemicals, or environmental effects on the swimmers?
The pool vessel and equipment passed the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) final inspection in August 2021 prior to opening. Water quality testing is required to be performed on disinfectant residual and pH at least twice a day from the shallow and deep areas of the pool. Combined chlorine is tested on a weekly basis. 

The district’s environmental services consultant completed air quality testing in December of 2023. The testing indicated levels of airborne trichloramines above reference levels established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and water testing showed chloramine levels above the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) standard. The report provided recommendations to review the ventilation of the natatorium, evaluate water testing procedures, institute a requirement to shower before entering the water, and retest the space after any identified modifications have been implemented.  

Millies Engineering Group completed an evaluation of the ventilation for the natatorium space and provided their findings and recommendation to the Facilities Committee and the Special Pool Task Force at the February 16, 2024, meeting. The recommendations include: redirect supply air registers, run exhaust fans 24/7 to maintain negative pressure, rebalance return registers to design parameters, decrease supply air flow to pool equipment room to create negative pressure, repair a failed CO2 sensor, add a pool water temperature sensor, and keep building doors closed to maintain negative pressure. The district is working to implement these recommendations as quickly as feasible. Some items will not be able to be addressed until the pool is closed after May 1. 

Additionally, the district did review the water testing results with the engineering firm and the pool chemical supply company. The district also reviewed the daily testing procedures with the environmental services consultant. The district has increased chloramine testing frequency from weekly to daily. All daily chloramine tests have shown values within IDPH guidelines.

SOUTH POOL

What is happening with the pool tile deck?
Following completion of the pool, the tile deck experienced issues with cracking tiles. The issues were not nearly as pronounced as at Central; however, after reviewing the Central investigation report, the district engaged WJE to complete a review of the South pool tile deck due to the similar design. WJE provided the district with its investigation report in September 2023, which identified issues with the original design and installation of the floor. After reviewing the report, a notice of defect was issued to the district’s architect and construction manager demanding the full replacement of the pool tile deck. The Facilities Committee and Special Pool Task Force are currently reviewing the investigation report, evaluating design modifications and assessing the bidding process. No repairs will need to be made to the men’s and women’s locker rooms.

The district will not incur any cost in conjunction with the replacement of the pool tile deck. All costs associated with the replacement of the floor, including the investigation and legal fees, will be paid by the architect, construction manager and contractor. The current timeline calls for the pool to be shut down in early May of 2025 so that work on the floor can begin. The pool is scheduled to be up and running again prior to the start of the girls’ swim season in fall 2025. The timeline will be reviewed after the completion of the Central pool this summer to determine if any changes are needed to the schedule. 

Is air quality testing being completed at South?
Yes. The district is currently coordinating a time with the environmental services consultant to complete testing at South.