LifeTown’s zero entry, accessible pool was unveiled in May, at the 2023 Friendship Circle Banquet.
Designed for therapy and fun, the pool features interactive pods, an “endless pool” that enables individuals to swim without hitting a wall; and a ceiling that manages acoustics for sensory sensitivity. There are bubbling pods in the shallow end, spray pods for rain, and an umbrella. A lift will get a child from his wheelchair and put him or her into a water wheelchair. The cheerful locker rooms sport monogrammed LifeTown towels that will get washed in the facility’s own laundromat, providing a job opportunity for those with special abilities.
The temperature of the room will be the temperature of the pool, in the mid-80s, with no humidity. Transitions to the water are easier when the temperature is the same, said Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum, CEO of Friendship Circle and LifeTown.
“These are the details that make a difference in the comfort and ability for people to be able to use it without any barriers,” he said. “We try to take away every possible barrier for it to be an inclusive and inviting space,” he said. “It’s all these features that make it special.”
Despite the challenges of managing an indoor pool, Grossbaum said, “We couldn’t see putting together this building without it, the aquatic therapy and the impact that it has.”
The pool was developed after extensive research. “We knew we needed the zero entry [a sloping entrance that transitions from land to water]. The pods create other sensory and interactive ways for kids to be involved. There will be other therapeutic items for therapy, and for therapeutic play. Everything from the wave pool, and swimming against the current to putting a kid in an inner tube and pushing him out into the water, creates a lot of fun.”
Water is an equalizer, Grossbaum noted. “It’s a comfort. Individuals may have mobility issues but in the water they are free. Individuals who have sensory issues feel very secure in the water. Therapies done in the pool are more impactful because of buoyancy.”
If you look at the autism spectrum, he added, “a lot of the behaviors come from sensory issues. But in the water they feel themselves, there is a calming effect, they are more focused, it brings joy and happiness.”
The leaders of Friendship Circle left a space for a pool when they designed LifeTown, purchasing the building in 2013 and starting construction in 2016.
“We actually poured the initial pool then; the walls and windows were open, and it made sense financially,” Grossbaum explained. “Obviously, finishing it had to wait for sponsorships and we’re very blessed. We just need a few more things.”
Several pool features, including the umbrella and interactive pods, and the “desert air” system, are on schedule to be installed. Sign-offs from the town, such as bonding and permits, will be needed. Staffing plans include lifeguards, a director, volunteers and assistants.
“As with all of our programs, it depends on the individual, whatever they need, one on one or whatever it might be,” Grossbaum said.
A soft opening is anticipated in August, with the first focus being current Friendship Circle/LifeTown participants, such as those in its inhouse camp. “It will be a slow start, a good way to learn the ins and outs,” Grossbaum indicated.
And the aesthetics are important, Grossbaum added. “It shows the families and individuals that the community cares about them and loves them. And that’s why it’s beautiful, the nicest pool I’ve ever seen… glass tiles that were custom ordered and gifted to us at cost; the design effects; the sound barrier, even the ceilings… to make it usable, user-friendly, and warm and inviting.”
“As we ramp up (pun intended) the use of the pool,” said Zalman. “Our goal is to maximize the opportunities for the individuals we serve.”
