Thanks to the hard work of the Facilities Services and Fitness and Recreation teams, the indoor pool at Bakar Fitness Center is officially open as of June 16, 2025.
The resurfacing project, which began in March of 2025, was a large undertaking, requiring several months of preparation for design and contracting needs.
According to the Assistant Director of Fitness and Recreation, Greg Whisman, these repairs are essential as every 10 years the plaster lining of a pool can get discolored, pitted, and rough. This can cause abrasions to swimmers' feet and continue to wear down and fail if not replaced.
"Not only is it a new, fresh surface that will last us a decade, but it really refreshes the look and aesthetics of the pool and keeps it safe and clean," Whisman said.
Facilities Services in the process of resurfacing the indoor pool at Bakar Fitness Center
In addition to resurfacing the indoor pool, the team also completed upgrades to revitalize the pool space.
"Since the pool was closed, we took the opportunity to replace the underwater lights to LED for a brighter and longer lasting experience. We also had the pool deck windows and walls thoroughly cleaned (Yay UCSF Custodians!) and put a refreshed non-slip pool deck coating on the entire deck."
This project is a testament to the hard work of team members across Facilities Services and Fitness and Recreation who collaborated to make the project a success.
"Swimming pools take a village to maintain," Whisman said.
The pool walls and deck area were also deep-cleaned during the resurfacing process.
"Tim Fowle, James Beatty and Nathan Reyes from the Facilities team worked tirelessly to get the proper paperwork done and check in with the contractors and prep and refill the pool. Our Aquatics team, including Manager Gem LaBonte, and lifeguard leads, Fiona Keena-Grice, Rachel Aquino and Leah Ruiz worked to prep the pool deck and move items as needed for the contractors.
Megan Gonzalez kept our staff and members updated on the progress of the pool and opening date. Greg Ong and his Operations team created a safe reroute so members could find their way to the outdoor pool with the indoor pool deck closed off.
Finally, the custodial team lead by Debbie Lozano-Pena did an outstanding job cleaning the walls and deck of the pool area after a dusty gritty job," Whisman said.
The renovated pool also received an upgrade to longer-lasting underwater LED lights.
Gym members can enjoy swimming in the newly renovated indoor pool daily (see schedule) or sign up for a variety of swim lessons available for children, adults, and tots starting on July 12, 2025.