Triangle Aquatic Center in North Carolina to Add New 50m Pool

The Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary, NC, is about to get a big upgrade.

The facility, which has been serving the greater North Carolina community for over a decade since it first opened in 2007, is getting several enhancements and additions over the next couple of years. The biggest addition will be an outdoor, 50-meter pool.

Besides the pool, the TAC is going to get more office space and spectator seats, along with a new fitness center. This massive expansion will add over 20,000 square feet to the complex and cost an estimated $10 million.

Construction to add offices, seats, and the fitness center will kick off early 2019, while pool construction will begin fall 2019. The pool is expected to be in full operation for a summer 2020 opening.

TAC executive director told The News & Observer that the facility had reached its limit in ensuring health and safety for learn to swim, age group practices, and various meets and competitions. The TAC holds about 70 events a year and welcomes nearly half a million people through its doors annually.

“When we bring in an event it disrupts our programming,” Curran said. “There is nowhere for those programs to go, so that’s why we’re building the 50-meter outdoor pool. We need the extra water.”

The LCM pool will only be used for training purposes, says Curran.

“We’ve spoken with several 50-meter pools north of us up in Virginia, and they run their programming 12 months a year with a heated pool,” Curran said. “So we’re going to be heating our pool and therefore be able to run it now hopefully 12 months a year. There may be a few days or a few weeks of bad weather when we can’t use it, but for the most part we’ll be able to use it year round.”

The TAC should see benefits from the added space, as it’s one of the largest swimming facilities not only in North Carolina, but in the country. USA Swimming recently recognized Cary and the Triangle area as the 7th-largest swimming community in the U.S. As far as in-state facilities go, TAC is in competition to host primetime meets with the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center in Charlotte as well as the Greensboro Aquatic Center.