Campus Swimming Pool Closing for Air System Cleaning
JONESBORO – The campus indoor swimming pool at Arkansas State University is closing Friday evening, Jan. 31, for the next several days for cleaning of its air system.
Facilities Management detected the accumulation of mold within the facility and air system that requires extensive servicing. Testing was conducted to determine the type of mold, and if closure for cleaning was necessary. While the testing confirmed no toxic “black mold” was present, it did confirm the presence of other types of mold at levels that did require cleaning to ensure occupant health and minimize damage to the pool and its air system.
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management David Handwork said the university is contracting with an outside service to perform the cleaning.
Built in 1975, the university’s indoor pool is a part of the Health, Physical Education and Sport Sciences (HPESS) area of campus. The mold problem only impacts the pool building of the 127,965 square foot three-building HPESS complex.
For the next week starting Monday, Feb. 3, all swim classes for students, and faculty-staff wellness program swim activities are cancelled.
Also, Jonesboro Jets Swim Club morning and evening practices will not be conducted at HPESS. Families with Jet team members should contact the club directly for updates.
Over the holiday break, a high concentration of humidity within the building and system resulted in conditions that promoted the growth of mold. The closure of the HPESS pool space allows both for cleaning of the ducts and also changes in the air handling system that should prevent a re-appearance of the mold.
If members of the university community have further questions or need progress updates, they can reach out to Handwork in Facilities Management at dhandwork@AState.edu or David Hackenwerth at dhakenwerth@AState.edu.
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