Moana Pool was a large rectangular building with both a kids' pool and an Olympic pool. The big pool had both a low and high dive. There were also sliding glass doors and an outdoor concrete area, where one could go spend time in the sun. The building also featured locker rooms, large grassy areas, a multitude of trees, and a large parking lot.
She says that the building has changed “dramatically” since she used to spend time there. The building was demolished and is now simply a dirt lot. While the landscaping surrounding the building was maintained (the trees have grown), the parking lot was not, and it is visibly old.
Sandy learned how to swim here as a child. She would spend her summers swimming at the pool, both taking lessons and enjoying time with friends. She remembers learning how to jump off the high dive, and how exciting that was for her as a kid. She also recalls attempting to see how far she could swim while holding her breath. Her high school team also used to frequent the pool, so she spent time there watching her best friend compete in meets. After she had children, her two oldest daughters (my older sisters) were taken to this pool to learn how to swim.
She says that this site is now the location where the city gives out sandbags if there is a flood threat. That is really the only thing that she does here now. She says it’s now just a lot that she passes as she drives by. They have plans to make this lot the site of a new aquatic center, but she says that they have yet to receive the necessary funds to go through with the design.
Interviewee: One of my favorite places growing up was the Moana swimming pool in Reno, Nevada.
Interviewer: And how did Moana pool look before?
Interviewee: Growing up, it was this large rectangular building that had two swimming pools inside. It had the kids pool at one end, and then it had a large Olympic swimming pool on the other side. And the big pool had both a low and a high dive. It had a concrete area and sliding glass doors where you could go outside and lay in the sun to warm up, had locker rooms for boys and girls. And then, on the outside, there was a large grassy area where you could play. And it had trees, and then on the back, it had a large parking lot.
Interviewer: How has it changed since then?
Interviewee: Dramatically. The building is no longer there. It was torn down. And so now, where the building once was, it is just dirt. The grass and trees are still there but not nearly as well maintained, although the trees are much larger. And in the back, the parking lot is still there but it’s old and hasn’t been maintained.
Interviewer: What are some of the things you used to do at Moana pool?
Interviewee: This is where I learned to swim. Every summer for years, I would go there and take swimming lessons. And it was also the swimming pool that I would go to with my friends to have fun. Some of the fun memories that I have is learning how to jump off the high dive and that feeling of exhilaration as you jumped off of that high dive into the water. We also used to hold our breath and see how far we could go swimming across the width of the pool with the goal of trying to hold our breath the whole way. So a lot of good memories. It was also the swimming pool that our high school team used as the home swim pool. My best friend was actually on the swim team, and so we would go there to watch swim meets. And then later, when I had children, my two older daughters took swimming lessons there also and learned how to swim there.
Interviewer: And what are some of the things that you do there now?
Interviewee: Well, it is now the site… If there is a flood threat in the area, it’s the place that the city puts sand and sand bags for you to fill. And so, I’ve gone there for that. Otherwise, it’s really just a lot that I pass by when I’m driving by. I have heard that there could be a new aquatic center built on the site, but there’s a lot of funds that need to be raised to do that. I hope they do. A lot of good memories and it’s sad to see that the location is now just a dirt lot when there was so many wonderful memories in that place growing up.
Interviewer: Well, it sounds like this place has changed a lot, so thank you for telling me about it.
Interviewee: You’re welcome.