Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas K–12 District Opens Natatorium at Local YMCA

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/06/23

The Crowley Independent School District in Fort Worth, Texas, recently celebrated a grand opening for the CISD Natatorium at the Ryan Family YMCA, according to a news release. The facility provides a UIL-appropriate venue for the district’s high-school swim teams, as well as allowing the YMCA to offer swimming and water-safety programs to CISD students and the community at large.

“This project is a long time coming, and our students and community deserve this,” said Daryle Moffett, Crowley ISD Executive Director of Athletics. “Not only will our student-athletes from both the CHS and NCHS swim teams benefit from having access to a pool that meets UIL requirements for competitions, students and adults of all ages will have the opportunity to take part in swim and water safety classes offered by the Y here.”

The district partnered with VLK Architects for the project’s design. The Natatorium includes large, open windows along the north wall to fill the space with natural light. Other amenities include a new scoreboard for swimming competitions, new bleachers, and a new pool that doubles the lane space available. Locker rooms feature ADA-compliant fixtures, and new MEP systems have been improved to offer dehumidification.

Funding for the project comes from a previous bond package, the news release reports.

“We worked with CISD and the YMCA to provide a natatorium that maximized the footprint delivering the programmatic needs of the district and the YMCA,” said Lauren Brown, VLK Architects Principal. “The community has enjoyed this facility for years, and now the improvements will allow for recreation and competition for years to come.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.