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 (
PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES
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.
PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES
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 (
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.
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."
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