The mercury is soaring and the temperature is almost touching 40 degree Celsius. It is time to put on your swimming gear and take a splash at a pool. The city has quite a few options open to the public. Here is our list of top five picks:
Marina Swimming Pool, Opp Presidency College
Marina Swimming Pool (Img : realchennai)
It was built in 1947 and is currently maintained by Corporation of Chennai. It underwent renovation in 1994 and 2004. Believed to be the biggest swimming pool in Asia, this one has been a top choice for most swimming pros and a great place for learners to hone their skills. Being close to the beach, there’s always a wind blowing across, making it extremely pleasant to swim in the scorching summer. The pool is roughly 100 and 30 metres in length and breadth respectively. The depth of the pool is 3.5 to 5 feet. On weekends, the place gets really crowded so probably you should try your luck early morning on weekdays. Apart from numerous instructors, the place is extremely safe with about 15 certified lifeguards. High hygiene standards practiced here makes a swim here a fun experience for everyone.
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 6 am to 5.45 pm
Anna Swimming Pool, Chepauk
There are two swimming pools along the Marina Beach stretch and this is the second one. The Anna swimming pool is located opposite the clock tower building of the University of Madras and virtually remains hidden behind the Anna Square bus terminus. The pool is said to be the first Olympic size pool to be built in Tamil Nadu. It was constructed in 1976 with a diving board. However, the diving board was removed later during a renovation. The pool is 4 to 11 feet deep. It also has a toddler pool that is 2.5 feet. Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) conducts regular coaching camps at the pool.
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 8 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm
SDAT Aquatic Complex, Velachery
Velachery Aquatic Complex (Img : velachry.info)
The complex was built in 1995 at a cost of Rs.11.32 crores. It consists of three pools – an eight-lane racing pool of 50 m x 25 m, one diving pool of 18 m x 25 m and one warm-up Pool of 25m x 25m, all conforming to international standards. It was purpose built as one of the venues for the 1995 South Asian Games. Swimming classes are conducted on periodic basis at the complex including special course for beginners conducted by coaches trained under National Institute of Sports.
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 6 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 7 pm
YMCA Swimming Pool, Nandanam
The YMCA complex in Nandanam is a gigantic one with facilities for all kinds of sports activity. The pool here is 100 feet long and 50 feet wide with a separate diving deck. They also have a special area for beginners to practice. The specialty of this pool is that it overlooks a lush green lawn and tones of colourful flowers and it is equipped with floodlights (one of the few places that allow swimming till 8 pm). They also have clean dressing rooms and lockers that are neat and clean. Apart from hourly dips and memberships, they also conduct regular swimming and diving coaching.
Open: Daily, 6 am to 8 pm
Anna University Swimming Pool, Guindy
Opposite to the Science and Humanities block in the Anna University campus, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life is the Anna University swimming pool with the depth varying from 4 feet to 12 feet. It is a pretty spacious pool and caters to the family crowd predominantly.
Open: Monday and Wednesday to Sunday: 6 am to 9 am, 4 pm to 8 pm (Tuesday off)
