The Sid W. Richardson Foundation has contributed $500,000 to renovate the swimming pool, gymnasium, and main entrance of the Sid. W. Richardson Center.

“We are very excited about the much-needed upcoming renovation,” Gayle Anderson, administrative assistant for the department of kinesiology and administrator for the pool, said.  The grant will provide the first major updates to the pool and building since it was built in 1970. The floors of the gymnasium were refinished last year.

From the outset, the Sid W. Richardson Center was intended to serve as a vital community resource. In a letter to the Foundation in 1972, then Texas Wesleyan president, W.M. Pearce, reported: “not only have our students made good use of the Center—they have seen to it that others have benefited too.” He went on to describe the regular use of the pool by groups like the Boy Scouts and the Easter Seal Society for Crippled Children.

Today, the 25-meter indoor swimming pool is not only used by Texas Wesleyan students and classes but also is open to the community, hosting Boys & Girls Club activities, lifeguard training for the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Fire Department underwater training, and various swim clubs such as Sigma Performance Swimming, Ridglea Masters Swim Team, Nolan Catholic High School Swim Team, All Saint’s Episcopal School Swim Team, and many others. “Overall, our pool facilitates almost 30,000 community visits each year,” says Anderson. 

Pool area improvements include new window systems, interior painting, re-plastering and re-tiling of the pool, pool deck tile replacement, and new aluminum bleachers. The renovations will begin over the winter break.

The scope of work for the main entrance to the Sid Richardson Center and gymnasium, which will begin immediately, includes:

• Lobby and hallway flooring replacement with large format porcelain tile
• Gymnasium doorways will be upgraded with aluminum storefront frames and doors
• Exterior entrance improvements include new sidewalks, landscaping, and lighting

“We have discovered that for much of the community, our pool is the only image of the University they see or sometimes the 'first' image they see when they come to campus,” Anderson said. “The renovations will be enjoyed by all and help us make a better impression on our community partners.”