When we finish our session at the Aquadome, we’re the last to leave. We need to close up the pool.

The things we need to do are:

1. Pull the pool covers over the six main lanes. (If the small pool area is uncovered, we need to pull its cover over too)
2. Check that the North and South doors are locked.
3. Switch off the lights: the LED lights at the north (clock) and south ends (switches are at low level at the centre of the north and south walls); the main light switch is by the side main entry/exit door.
4. Pull the main entry/exit door closed, and make sure it’s locked.
5. Lock the two toilet doors using the key.
6. Check that the plant room is closed with its padlock secure.

More details are below.

The keys

The circular blue key fob on the key ring opens the main door if you hold it against the black box above the door handle (You don’t need it to lock up though: you can just pull the door shut.)

The single key on the key ring closes the two toilet doors: the two locks rotate in opposite directions: turn the left hand lock anti-clockwise, and the right hand lock clockwise. (Hint: if the key isn’t turning, try lifting the door handle and that will fix it.)

If you don’t have the key ring for some reason, you can still lock up. In the Plant Room (which is to the right of the entry door when you’re standing outside) there is a full set of keys and key fob too, on the wall on the right as you enter.

The Plant Room is always locked with a padlock, which opens with a 4 digit code: always check that this padlock is secure whenever you’re locking the main pool.

Pulling the covers on

Line up the three rollers at the north end of the pool.

Set up the winch opposite at the south end – it’s battery powered, there’s no need to plug it in. Shift the spindle off the axle so that it spins freely. Pay out the rope and have someone pull it out to the north end and connect it to the largest rope loop on the pool cover. Make sure the rope pays out over the top of the spindle, rather than the bottom – so that when it is pulling on the cover it’s as high as possible – that stops it dragging on the wall at the end of the lanes.

Push the spindle back on to the axle – and use the buttons to turn on the winch – the power can rotate the spindle in either direction. Keep well clear of the rope as it pulls in!

(If the pool cover catches on a lane rope the cover will jam, and the winch will start to tip forward. Just release the power buttons and everything will stop. Then work out what to do next.)

At the south end have someone brake the pool cover as it unwinds – stopping it from moving too quickly: otherwise it’ll start coming off in a rush and will fold up and snag.

If all is well the pool cover will come smoothly down the pool. Once it’s in place disconnect the rope, and make sure the rope loop is flipped up onto the pool cover, not hanging in the water. (If it stays in the water it snags when they remove the pool covers.)

North and South end double doors

These two sets of doors need to be closed. The interior door handle is always unlocked. The exterior door handle should always be locked (if it’s not for some reason, you’ll need to find the key to lock it from the Plant Room).

Most importantly the doors should be firmly closed so that they can’t be opened on the outside. It’s fairly common that one or other is only partially closed, so do check this.

The lights

There are three light switches – one at the North end under the clock, one at the South end, and one by the main door. All need to be switched off. The light switches are all circular grey switches that rotate a quarter turn to switch off.