Friends of Central Pool Celebrates 25 Years of Operating, Upgrading Forest Park Aquatic Center
At the Sept. 27 Noblesville Common Council meeting, the council posed with staff members and board members from Friends of Central Pool after Mayor Chris Jensen proclaimed Sept. 4 as Friends of Central Pool. Photographed are (front row, left to right) Forest Park Director of Aquatics Kim Bowling, Forest Park Aquatic Center Board President Greg Conner, Board Secretary Randy Crutchfield, Board Vice President Dick Sidner and (back row, left to right) Councilmembers Mike Davis, Pete Schwartz, Greg O’Connor, Aaron Smith, Megan Wiles, Darren Peterson, Brian Ayer and Mark Boice.
The Friends of Central Pool is celebrating its silver anniversary successfully operating, maintaining and expanding the Forest Park Aquatic Center. To honor their 25th anniversary, Mayor Chris Jensen proclaimed Sept. 4, 2022 as Friends of Central Pool Day. The organization was recognized at the most recent Noblesville Common Council meeting.
“For the past 25 years, the citizens of Noblesville have benefited greatly from the tens of thousands of volunteer hours invested in the Forest Park Aquatic Center by the Friends of Central Pool,” said Jensen. “No other community has a stronger partnership than the City of Noblesville continues to have with the Friends of Central Pool.”
The Friends of Central Pool took over Forest Park Aquatic Center operations and maintenance in 1997. A testament to community service and volunteerism, the nonprofit organization has renovated the facilities as needed, and worked with local businesses and residents. Friends of Central Pool recently led an effort to embark on phased major improvements and renovation project known as Project 2020 to make the pool safer, more accessible and modern.
Earlier this summer, the pool also unveiled its new LED videoboard. The 31.5-foot by 12.5-foot screen is elevated 15 feet off the ground. It will be used as a scoreboard for swimming, diving and water polo matches, as well as a movie screen for special events at the aquatic center. The new screen, which is believed to be the largest of its type in the Midwest, also meets the standards to host competitive national and international swimming events.
The Forest Park Aquatic Center is one of the largest outdoor swimming and diving facilities in the Midwest. The pool has 10 swimming lanes of 50 meters, or 22 swimming lanes of 25 yards. It is the only outdoor pool in the Midwest with Olympic regulation diving platforms.
“The City of Noblesville is extremely fortunate to have such an incredible, world class facility as the Forest Park Aquatic Center and over 20 Olympic Trail qualifying athletes and 10 Olympians, including Noblesville’s own David Boudia, have called the Forest Park Aquatic Center home,” said Noblesville Common Council President Megan Wiles.
Through the years, the efforts of the Friends of Central Pool have remained committed to fulfilling the desire for a public swimming pool in the Noblesville community, which dates back to the early 1900s. The Forest Park Aquatic Center draws over 40,000 visitors to Noblesville, and hosts one of the largest 3-day youth athletic competitions each summer.
About the City of Noblesville:
Noblesville is the 10th largest city in Indiana, home to more than 69,600 residents, and the county seat in Hamilton County, Indiana. Just north of Indianapolis, the growing city is known for its nationally recognized public schools, extensive public park system, Hamilton Town Center, and the outdoor music venue Ruoff Music Center.