Mount Albert Aquatic Centre Visual Story

Arrival at Mount Albert Aquatic Centre

Access to the Mount Albert Aquatic Centre is through the entrance to Mount Albert Grammar School, using the steps with handrails. Additionally, accessible car parking spaces are available to the left of the building, reserved for guests of the aquatic centre.

The Mount Albert Aquatic Centre is a low-set building with yellow and blue features, constructed from a combination of corrugated iron and concrete. There are large windows overlooking the swimming pool area.

This image shows a side view of the centre. One black car and two blue cars are parked in the designated parking spaces near the cemented sidewalk. In front of the first blue car is a blue sign attached to a light post informing people about a wave pool. Going up, from left to right, is a grassy portion that ends on the stairs with steel handrails. There is a tree with large foliage providing shade to the stairstep leading to the entrance doors of the centre.

Stairway leading to the entrance of Mount Albert Aquatic Centre. On both sides of the stairway is a grassy slope. A large blue steel frame in front supports the curvy roof design. The blue-painted walls are etched with parallel lines. The warm yellow light reflects on the glass entrance doors. On the left side, towards the back of the yellow wall of the centre, are large tinted glass windows that reflect the surrounding area.

A closer look at the cemented stairway with steel handrails on both sides. The stairway looks slippery due to the rainfall. On the right side of the main entrance, there are small grey poles with different heights. The large glass entrance door and windows allow passersby to catch a glimpse of the building's interior spaces. On the left of the building near the entrance door is a bicycle.

Entryway leading to the main entrance of the Mount Albert Aquatic Centre building. Before the white-tiled entry, there are three small grey poles separating the parking to the entryway. On the left side of the stairway, a pair of bicycles are neatly parked. A pair of fluorescent lights brighten up the exterior of the building's main entrance, ensuring visibility and safety, especially during the night.

Sounds

Birds chirping
Vehicle driving past
Building works at school
People talking
Children laughing

Smells

Fresh air
Flowers
Vehicle exhaust (occasional)
External weather conditions

Feel

External weather conditions
Parking anxiety
Anticipation
Excitement
Change in temperature

Sight

Low set blue & cream structure
Bicycles parked
Parked vehicles
Signage warning of tow away areas
School buildings

Entrance to Mount Albert Aquatic Centre

Upon entering, the reception area is to the right, and directly ahead is the retail area displaying goggles, swimwear, and other swim equipment. Moving past the retail area is the Cheeky Beans Café selling a range of cakes, and sandwiches, as well as drinks and ice creams. This area also has tables and chairs available for seating.

To the right of this space is access to the bathrooms and changing rooms including an accessible bathroom which can be accessed by obtaining the keys from the lifeguard.

Main entrance to Mount Albert Aquatic Centre. On each side of the automatic glass double-door entrance, you'll notice a pair of bicycles. Just below the CCTV camera, there's a black floor mat placed to keep the area clean. On the left glass door, there's a time schedule and other relevant information. Visible through the glass entrance doors is a grey door, a wall design that imitates pool water, and some advertising signages.

From the entrance doors, moving to the right is the retail section for a variety of swimwear and swimming goggles. The interior has a brown wooden floor with a white curvy lined ceiling. There is a noticeable black metal running in the middle of the ceiling. The area is well-lit, provided by warm yellow lighting. The hollow blocks are aesthetically pleasing due to the white paint.

The exit view of the building is also through the primary automatic glass entrance doors. Close to the front of the large glass windows are three posters with colorful designs. After passing through the entrance glass doors, there is a rectangular, grey-to-black floor mat. The top part of the large glass windows on the side of the center is blue tinted. Two wooden chairs with grey foam are placed directly opposite the entry/exit doors.

View opposite the Cheeky Beans cafe situated on the left side of the retail area. The space is divided by the medium-height display walls of the swimwear, swimming equipment, and goggles on the left, while the right is mostly occupied by black chairs and brown tables of the cafe. To the right of the display glass, full of cake and sandwiches, is an ice cream fridge.
The floor-to-ceiling glass walls on the right are a bit blurred, halfway blocking the view outside.

Sounds

People talking
Café sounds
Children laughing
Water splashing
Beeping sounds

Smells

Café aroma
Chlorine (mild)
Cool air
Cooked food
Disinfectants

Feel

Excitement
Anticipation
Hungry/thirsty
Close proximity to others
Taste food/drink

Sight

Contrasting colours
Food & drinks for sale
Swimwear & accessories for sale
People queuing
Seating area

Wave Pool, Spa, Sauna & Steam Room at Mount Albert Aquatic Centre

Walking directly through the reception and retail area, gaining access to this aquatic area is through glass doors which need to be pushed open. Colourful buckets fill with water and spill over creating fun for kids in the wave pool.

To the right is the spa and there are showers and a sauna next to this area. Another smaller hot tub is close to the entrance to the 25m pool. At the back wall is a blue water slide for kids to enjoy.

After passing through the manually operated doors is a shallow pool. There is a wooden fence with brown rope separating the entryway to the pool. The pool has a white ceiling with large wooden frames running end to end of the roof. Left to the shallow pool is the spa, while to the back is the blue water slide for kids. The light green walls add a playful feel to the pool section.

Red, yellow, blue, and light green buckets filled with water and tipping over in the middle provide a playful experience for children in the wave pool. The pool is enclosed by safety dark poles with light brown ropes. Natural lighting enforced by artificial lighting in the middle of the ceiling provides ample illumination to the pool area. White chairs can be seen scattered throughout the area.

A closer view of the spa next to the shallow pool. On the left side of the spa is a small entrance with steel handrails. The area is well-lit by a row of strong fluorescent lights. One (1) metre around the pools is a blue mat design for always wet/moist places such as pool centers. There is a blue water slide for kids on the back. A wooden fence with brown rope separates the pool from the sidewalk.

Another angle of the wave pool area. On top of the tiled floors are enormous-looking designs of rocks, and in the middle are the red, yellow, blue, and light green buckets. At the upper corner on the right side are mounted black speakers. Brown wooden cabin shelves are placed next to a floor to a floor-to-ceiling glass wall with seemingly yellow lighting. White chairs are scattered all around the area.

Sounds

People talking
Children laughing & playing
Water running & splashing
Whirr of machinery
Café sounds (minimal)

Smells

Chlorine (strong)
Café aroma (mild)
Disinfectants
Wet/damp cloths

Feel

Close proximity to others
Humidity/warmth
Wet (when in water)
Excitement
Increased body temperature

Sight

Water
Bright colours
Natural light
Blue waterslide
Large open windows

25m Competition Pool at Mount Albert Aquatic Centre

Walking through the reception area and proceeding through the glass doors directly ahead into the Wave Pool area, veering to the right there are glass doors leading into the 25m pool. This pool has eight lanes and to the right of the pool is a seating area.

The pool is surrounded by large glass windows, overlooking open spaces and has a roof with timber beams and sky lights. In this area people are doing laps of the pool, as well as other exercise activities.

View inside the 25m Competition Pool at Mount Albert Aquatic Centre. Two large orange traffic cones are placed on the opposite sides of the entrance doors. A person is standing near the elevated tiles at the start of the pool lanes where a blue sign board that says MAGS Swimming Lane Only can be found. Before this is a pool entry point marked by a curvy steel. There is a string of blue flags that intersects the orientation of the 25m competition pool. Orange benches can be seen beyond the pool.

Closer look at the 25m pool. Safety railings can be seen near the elevated tiled start point of the pool. A pair of pink slippers is left beside the pool entry point with a steel handrail. The 25m pool has eight lanes separated by the red and blue floating rope lanes. To the right of the pool is a seating area with orange benches. Opposite this section is a blue-painted wall with artificial lights.

Opposite view of the 25m competition pool, close to the pool entry point with steel hand railings. A numbered, white dock for swimmers at the start of the pool lanes is placed on top of an elevated tile. The lanes are separated by floating blue and red rope pool lanes. There is a big white clock on top of the wall next to the orange benches. The pool is surrounded by a large space with grey floor tiles with circular bumps.

Sounds

Water splashing
People talking
Instructions from teachers
Whirr from machinery
Children laughing

Smells

Chlorine
Disinfectants
Wet/damp clothes
Soaps & toiletries (bathroom)

Feel

Warmth/humidity
Wet (when swimming)
Excitement
Close proximity to others
Anxious (warmth/humidity)

Sight

Water
Bright lights
Natural light through ceiling
People swimming
Lifeguards & instructors

Two hands shaking Thankyou graphic

Thank You

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