The dome has risen at the SLV Swim Center — one of the few signs that winter will soon be upon the San Lorenzo Valley.
Glenn and Donna Smith and their son, Max, have erected the air dome over the 20-by-50-foot swimming pool in Ben Lomond for the past 10 years.
The dome helps the swim school maintain an average water temperature of 86 degrees during the chilly months in the valley.
“This contraption saves us huge amounts of heating cost,” Donna Smith said. “The insulation value alone saves us from losing around 10 degrees of pool temperatures a night.”
The privately run business offers swim instructions and lifeguarding tutelage all year, along with American Red Cross-certified CPR and first-aid training. The 10- to 12-foot-tall striped dome has become something of a landmark in the valley and a hint that one has entered the town of Ben Lomond on Highway 9.
Putting up the dome is a chore, though. Each year, the Smith family drills and epoxies 100 eyebolts into the concrete deck of the pool. The airlock door must then be installed and lined up before the perimeter can be tied down.
Inflation takes 20 minutes, and the dome will stay inflated for the next five months, usually October through March, the Smiths said.
The swim center, at 9050 Highway 9 in Ben Lomond, is offering a deal for first-time customers: $40 for four lessons, down from $48.
For information: www.slvswimcenter.com or 336-3455.
