Questions around the Mashouf Wellness Center Pool continue as no date set for re-opening

The mystery of the Mashouf Wellness Center Pool closure continues, as students haven’t been able to utilize the pool since it closed in May of 2022. Despite multiple postponements of the pool’s reopening, there remains no set date for the pool’s reopening.

Students wondering what has been going on with the pool have started to raise concerns over the situation.

“Ever since I came here, it has always been closed,” said SF State student Jared Playda. “I never really thought about the swimming pool as much, but now that I think about it, most of my friends like to swim. They actually joined teams in high school and now they came over here and it has been closed.” 

The delay of the pool opening has still not been yet determined but it seems that there is no straight answer from those in charge of the facility, according to Mashouf employees. 

“I have been wondering why but I had never really asked –––I just think that it’s kind of strange,” Playda said. “I heard that in seasons before it would be open but I always go to the gym and it is always closed. I wonder if it’s a team thing or an open gym thing but really I just do not know to be honest with you.”

The Mashouf Wellness Center pool opened in 2017, with the intent of being a place where students can interact with one another and get away from the academic side of life. 

“Yes, I would swim at the pool, me and my girlfriend wanted to go. I talked about it with her –– we like to race,” said Playda. “She knows how to swim, she is actually a swimmer, you know it’s just kind of weird to me that it is closed.”

Employees at the gym also expressed their thoughts on the situation.

“I think it is very unfortunate that the pool is closed because it’s a very cool resource for students to utilize from a fitness aspect and health aspect,” said student employee Thor Skrindo. 

The gym is typically filled with people playing volleyball on one side of the court and basketball players on the other. Usually, several people can be seen rock climbing next to the pool. All students can see the sign saying the pool is closed.

“It is also a very social place as well because you are able to set up a volleyball net and play volleyball, and there is also a sauna which is very nice to use before swimming and after, so it is unfortunate,” said Skrindo.

For recent transfer students, the memory of an open and functioning pool is non-existent.

“I am a transfer student so I came in the beginning of this year and never had the opportunity to use it. I have just heard about all the things that we offered and it is unfortunate that we aren’t able to accommodate that,” said Mashouf student-employee Daniela Ibarra.

Students will most likely have to wait until the summer or fall semester to use the pool.

“They aren’t telling us anything specific,” said Ibarra. “We are hoping it’s gonna get done this semester, but more realistically probably not until the summer,” said Ibarra.

Campus Recreation Interim Director, Demont Oliver, was not available for comment.