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Maharishi University to inaugurate renovated pool Saturday
Andy Hallman
Oct. 5, 2023 12:10 pm
FAIRFIELD — Maharishi International University is inaugurating its remodeled swimming pool with a ceremony from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.
The Cowhig Family Aquatic Center has been closed since the end of the 2019 season. In the four years since then, the university was able to fundraise about $1 million for renovations that include a new concrete deck, a new wall around the pool below the deck, replastering of the inner pool walls, renovation of the bathhouse inside and out, and much more.
Saturday’s inauguration ceremony will include remarks by university president Dr. John Hagelin, friends of the pool, a ribbon cutting, a tour of the renovated features and a “delectable edibles” buffet. Tom Brooks, MIU Vice President of Administration, said it’s not clear yet whether the public will be allowed to swim that day, since the university still is waiting on state inspections. The Iowa Department of Public Health has indicated that it does not inspect pools after Sept. 30, but MIU officials have requested an exception.
Brooks said that, even though university officials realize it is late in the year to inaugurate a pool, they wanted to celebrate the pool’s renovation as soon as possible, especially since people have been waiting so long for it to reopen.
“We were hoping to open it two or three weeks ago so we could have it open on the weekends, but with the nature of construction, it kept getting delayed,” Brooks said. “We decided that we just have to pick a date to inaugurate it because otherwise we’re just pushing it into next year. We wanted to honor the donors, and to get people inspired so they’ll come back in the spring to swim.”
According to a news release from MIU Vice President Craig Pearson, the renovations at the pool were made possible thanks to MIU trustee emeritus Dr. Vincent Argiro, who was also the lead donor for the university’s Argiro Student Center. Argiro chose to name the pool the Cowhig Family Aquatic Center in honor of the Cowhig family of British Columbia, Canada, a family that has contributed much to MIU.
Brooks said Dr. Argiro himself is not able to attend the event, but a member of his family will attend in his stead.
The COVID pandemic prevented the pool from being open during the summers of 2020 and 2021, and by then university officials had discovered that widening cracks in the decks meant the pool was no longer suitable for the public in its current state. Brooks said that Dr. Hagelin was the driving force behind the effort to remodel the pool so it would once again be an attraction.
“He [Hagelin] realizes that Iowa summers are hot, and our comp pro students, who are our biggest program, are in session all summer,” Brooks said. “He wanted to give them something to do in the summer, a place to cool off.”
In addition to the major renovations to the pool deck and bathhouse, the university made several other renovations to the facility such as adding a wooden gazebo for shade, an outdoor shower, a new diving board, new basketball hoop, ADA access to the pool, new aluminum fencing, lighting bollards around the deck’s outer edge as well as landscaping and planter boxes for flowers, shrubs and trees.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com