In this Leadership Viewpoint, Mark Hines, the VP of sales and marketing at Paddock Pool Equipment Company, discusses common challenges faced by rec center clients, particularly indoor air quality issues caused by chloramines. He emphasized the importance of addressing these problems from the start to avoid costly repairs later. Hines highlighted Paddock Pool Equipment Company’s solution, which removes contaminated air at the source. He also advised rec center operators to assemble a dedicated team for new projects to avoid scope creep and ensure budget adherence. Finally, Hines stressed the significance of indoor air quality for the health of young children, particularly in preventing bronchitis and asthma.
Enjoy!
Key Takeaways
- Indoor air quality in indoor aquatics facilities is frequently undervalued, yet it has major implications for patron health, building integrity and long-term costs.
- When new rec centers are built or existing ones renovated, air quality strategies are often treated as optional and are among the first items cut when budgets tighten.
- This is a costly mistake: poor air quality and chloramines can damage infrastructure and harm health — especially for children — increasing risks of bronchitis and asthma.
- Paddock’s Evacuator system is highlighted as a key solution: it captures contaminated air at the pool surface and removes it before it recirculates through HVAC systems.
- The aquatics industry is innovating with lazy rivers, grottos and diverse features to attract broader user groups, but programming quality and safety fundamentals must remain central.
- For rec center leaders, the core advice is strategic planning: clearly define must-haves vs. nice-to-haves before starting design or renovation.
- Operators should assemble and stick with a trusted team — architect, aquatics designer, equipment manufacturer — instead of chasing the lowest bid.
- Lowest bids often lead to scope changes, higher final costs and misaligned outcomes, meaning centers don’t get the facility they originally envisioned.
