As donations for the Swim on In Campaign still float in, the Ciccotti Center’s new co-ed changing area is being put to good use.
The official Donor Recognition Wall was unveiled Tuesday morning, June 23, for contribution donors to see their personalized fish on the wall just past the main lobby. The donations went toward the center’s new co-ed changing rooms and renovations.
“We knew we needed more changing rooms from day one,” said Nikki Caruso, executive director of the Colonie Youth Center, owner of the Ciccotti Center. More space was in the top five requests whenever the center polled its members, she said.
The new co-ed changing rooms benefit families with small children, large groups, or people who want more privacy and stability. The new space was built using back portions of the men’s and women’s changing rooms.
While the center knew of the need for more changing spaces, the issue, Caruso said, was figuring out where to put it. An addition would mean more plumbing and extra external space.
Ciccotti’s original architecture, Turner Construction Company, then went in and figured out how to take space from the existing gendered changing areas to build the larger co-ed area.
Before, the Ciccotti Center only had two family-sized changing rooms, meaning that families with children over 4 and under 12 years old had to wait for the larger spaces. As well, anyone who wanted a private space, or seniors who needed more stability while changing had to wait.
During peak hours on evenings and weekends, lines grew long for the limited family-sized spaces. Once the new co-ed area officially opened in February, it started seeing use immediately.
“They were well-used right away,” said Swim on In Campaign Coordinator Lyndsay Hanchett of the new spaces.
The area includes 10 private changing rooms, three bathroom stalls and shower areas. Connections to the existing gendered changing rooms ensure that members can cut through to the pool without having to go around into the lobby.
The first wave of donations for the renovations and changing areas ended in January and resulted in $15,000 raised from 65 donors. The different-sized personalized fish can be seen on the recognition wall.
Donors were able to buy different levels of personalized fish, from a $100 small Flutter Fish, to the largest $1,000 Sterling Black, which could be personalized with a family name or company logo.
The fish were then mounted on Plexiglass with designs of waves to simulate motion. Hanchett said the design represents the Ciccotti Center’s main purpose.
“You don’t come to the Ciccotti Center to get coffee. You come to move. So I think the wall subconsciously portrays that,” she said.
With room for fish to be added on the original wall, and more space around the corner to expand, the center also officially kicked off its second wave of donations, which will end Sept. 30.
For information and donations, go to www.ciccotticenter.org.
