Diving into the New Year: Ramstein Aquatic Center soon to reopen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joshua Magbanua
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The Ramstein Aquatic Center here is scheduled to reopen on Jan. 3, 2017.

The base pool has been drained for approximately three weeks for annual maintenance, including replacing old tiles in the pools and locker rooms, redoing some of the grout work, and replacing two water slides in the children’s pool.

Sarah Alcarez, Ramstein Aquatic Center director, explained that the annual closure and maintenance was the best way to ensure the facility’s services continue without major long-term interferences.

“Without closing annually, we would run into more sporadic problems; it’s these sporadic issues that would lead to us needing to drain the pool more than just once a year—which I think would be a bigger inconvenience to our customers,” Alcarez said.

December was chosen as the month to close the pool because it is generally the month with less customers, she added.

“We’ve tracked patronage for the eight years we’ve been open, and December is definitely that lower month,” Alcarez explained. “I apologize for any inconveniences, but it is well worth it in the long run.”

The facility’s lap pool has a capacity of 332,857 gallons, and takes three days to fill.

While the Ramstein Aquatic Center may be dry at the moment, the facility’s staff assure the pool will soon be open—and customers will be able to dive into the New Year.