Everything's going swimmingly

The warmth of an indoor pool isn't all that's on offer at Yuquan Park. The glistening new facility boasts old-growth trees, a playground and fitness equipment. PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES

January isn't usually the month to be thinking about fitting into a swim suit, but one visit to Taipei City's newest indoor swimming pool will have you thinking otherwise.

Opened by the city government just last month, Yuquan Park Heated Swimming Pool (玉泉公園溫水游泳池) glistens like a gem on the corner of Civil Boulevard and Huanhe Road, and offers one of Taipei's best options for getting in shape or just getting wet.

The 25m pool sits inside a sun-drenched glass atrium that also houses a long waterslide which empties into a giant hot-water bath partially enclosed by stone and plants. If the pool isn't warm enough for you, slide into the bath and soak or sit under one of the massage waterfalls.

Water is not all that Yuquan offers. The giant new plate-glass facility has a gym on the inside for adults and a playground on the outside for kids. The gym equipment is rather limited, though, so adults might find be more attracted to the playground.

"We're currently considering whether or not to include heavier fitness equipment in the gym that would allow for weight training," said Huang Yun-feng (黃雲峰), the facility's director and a manager with Eden Athletics (溢登體育事業), the company that has been contracted to run the facility. "If we have it, we'll draw a lot more people to the facility that might otherwise go elsewhere. But it's also a risk having that kind of equipment around. Kids and the elderly can easily hurt themselves."

A father and his sons splash at Yuquan Park's heated swimming pool, despite the past week's frigid temperatures. PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES

Huang and Eden Athletics want Yuquan to be more than just a fitness center. The facility boasts a huge pavilion on the outside and plans are in the works for a cafe to open in the months following the Lunar New Year, where patrons can enjoy a latte and a healthy lunch either in a small, glass-enclosed area inside or out under the pavilion. There is a snack shop near the entrance downstairs.

For your information: Hours:The pool is open from 5:30am to 10:30pm, but closes for maintenance between 7:30am and 8am and again between 5pm and 6pm. Cost: The facilities cost NT$110 per visit, but frequent-user pay plans are available. A packet of 30 tickets that can be used any time costs NT$2,600. NT$12,000 buys a year membership. Discounts are available for seniors and students as well as those interested in using the pool in the 5:30am to 7:30am time slot. Address: 28 Xining N Rd, Taipei (北市西寧北路28號). Telephone: Yuyuan Pool can be reached by calling (02) 2556 2539. For information about other public pools in your area, call Eden Athletics at (02) 2346 4399.

The pavilion is also large enough to host music events, which, while not currently in the works, is on Huang's longer-term agenda.

Even if you're not a swimmer, a visit to Yuquan is worthwhile. Architecturally, it represents the best of what the city has done to develop public land. Many of the trees filling the lot are old-growth -- including a few small bamboo groves -- and provide comfortable shade spots after throwing a Frisbee or ball. Bleacher-style benches outside the pavilion were obviously built with visiting classrooms in mind.

"We're a swimming pool, yes," Huang said. "But there are a lot of other things to do here as well. This place is as much about getting outside as it is about having an indoor pool."