Deep water stairs: a step in a new direction: stairs in the diving well can help alleviate fear and possible safety issues associated with traditional ladders.

Some pools are a step ahead of their peers. These aquatic facilities have deepwater pools or areas with walk-out stairs, instead of the vastly more common traditional metal ladders bolted to the pool walls.

PHN Architects of Wheaton, Ill., which specializes in aquatic and recreational facilities, has designed pools and waterparks for park districts that boast the new steps.

For example, Camelot Pool in Arlington Heights, Ill., which opened in 2002 after being redesigned and rebuilt, has a deep-water pool with a one-meter board, a drop slide and stairs. The steps begin about 6 inches below the water's surface, descending gradually into water 3 1/2 feet deep. The water then drops off to its full depth of 13 feet.

Stairs make it easier to get in and out of the water, and permit cautious youngsters a chance to acclimate to deep water on their own terms and pace, while dad or mom cheers from the nearby steps. Stairs can also expand pool programming, providing a spot for older kids to hang out with their friends in a safe environment.

PHN principal Douglas Holzrichter isn't even sure where he first saw stairs in a deep-water pool. Perhaps it was while watching one of the Summer Olympic Games. Perhaps it was at a SCUBA diving center. There, a pool with walk-out stairs would be typical for use in classes, says Rich Klarck, PHN's aquatics engineer.

But once seen, once the possibilities for general public use were imagined, Holzrichter says he realized the idea was a natural, and a winner. "It always seems like everything's been done before," says Holzrichter. "Then you see something new or different, and you wonder why no one ever thought of it before. Stairs in deep water is one of those ideas."

Stairs at Camelot were such a hit that when Arlington Heights and PHN were redesigning the district's indoor aquatic facility, Olympic Swim Center, the deep-water pool was renovated for the sole purpose of adding stairs.

"In our staff's opinion, the design has been so successful at Camelot that we wanted to include stairs at Olympic as well," says Brian Huckstadt, director of parks and planning for the Arlington Heights Park District.

"We were the first ones we knew of who had done this," he says. "We may find out it's been done in other places for years, but in our area, there were none prior to us, that we're aware of."

PHN also has designed pools with stairs in deep water for the Mount Prospect Park District and for the Schaumburg Park District, both in Illinois. Another Illinois district, in the design phase for a new pool, is considering deep water stairs.

"We always recommend them," says PHN's Klarck. "They may not be added, but we always advocate exploring the possibility. We think the idea will become more popular as people see them in use."

For some regulators, however, the initial response to the breakthrough idea might not necessarily be "great concept!" It might well be "no," instead. That's because in some states, stairs in deep water are against health codes. In Illinois, for example, the design requires a variance from the Illinois Department of Health.

"Illinois code mandates that stairs should be located where the water is 3 1/2 feet deep or less," says Klarck. "If you're going to put stairs in water that is any deeper, you have to get a variance." Thus far, PHN has had no difficulty obtaining the variances.

"When we first started, we were asked, 'Why are you doing this? How are you going to guard it?' But it's worked very well and there haven't been any accidents or incidents. It's become easier to get a variance."

Because each park district is covered not only by state codes but also by possibly stricter local codes, every pool design must be considered on an individual basis. And a process that went swimmingly in Illinois might hit a snag elsewhere.

One of the best advantages to having steps is that they improve usage so dramatically. Here are a few examples:

1. Easier Exits

"It's so much easier to walk out of deep water, instead of having to hoist yourself up and over the pool side," says Holzrichter. This is particularly significant for older people or those with physical limitations, he says.

"It makes the entire pool more accessible to a wider range of people," adds Huckstadt of Arlington Heights.

From an operational standpoint, having stairs has meant many more seniors now use those pools for water exercise and for general swimming in the deep water, says Sue Gwinnup, superintendent of recreation for the Arlington Heights district.

"I think that's been the biggest change for us," she says. "Stairs allow seniors to get in and out of the water so much more easily. So we've seen more seniors using the pools."

Of course, people of any age might experience difficulty with the traditional ladder exit. "Anyone might have some kind of physical issue that would limit flexibility or strength," says Holzrichter. "There are multiple reasons why it's easier to use the stairs. What's not at issue is that it s easier. Now people can use the deep water who might not."

Arlington Heights' pool gutter system requires that swimmers actually hike themselves over the gutter, says Gwinnup. "That can be difficult or impossible for some people. The stairs mean those people can simply walk out--and continue to use our pool."

The district has been able to hold some of the smaller swim lessons for seniors in the deep-water pool simply because the stairs provide a simple way for class participants to get out of the water, she says.

2. Reduces the Fear Factor

For younger children, walk-out stairs provide a very gentle introduction to deep water. "They can be swimming or participating in a class, swim a few strokes and then be right back on the steps," he says. "That's a significant mental lifeline for some kids."

"It seems to allow younger kids who are just making that switch into deep water to integrate themselves a little better," agrees Huckstadt. "There's less fear if they can edge themselves in. They can get used to the water at their own pace."

Moving from shallow to deep water is quite a transition, Huckstadt points out. With the stairs, a child can start out sitting on one of the stairs, in the water. He can then gradually move down to the next step, and then another, then perhaps venture to jump off of a step. But always, there is the mental--and physical--safety of the stairs. A child doesn't feel alone, in water way over his bead, with the nearest exit seemingly far far away. A way to get out is close by, Huckstadt and Klarck explain.

"Sometimes a child going off the board might be tired by the time he swims to the end of the pool. This way he can just walk out," says Gwinnup. A parent can also sit on the steps with a child, providing encouragement, says Klarck.

3. Programming Possibilities

Stairs work well for deep-water swim classes, because participants can sit on the stairs while taking instruction, instead of treading water, Holzrichter says. It also helps on colder mornings, where children can sit on the stairs rather than freeze in the water.

And it's not just ordinary swim classes where stairs will come in handy, Holzrichter and Klarck says. Steps could be especially beneficial for SCUBA classes, because the stairs provide a handy platform for putting on equipment and getting into the water.

"This can be particularly important for older SCUBA class participants trying to become certified," Klarck says, referring to hoisting the weight of the SCUBA equipment onto a nearby stair, instead of up and out of the pool.

Arlington Heights holds some swim classes, particularly for seniors, in their walk-out pools, Gwinnup says. She predicted the programming would increase.

4. Something New

One of the reasons Arlington Heights added the stairs at Camelot centered on district personnel's desire to provide residents with what it wanted. "Our community didn't want a single water park. It wanted neighborhood pools that had certain elements of water parks," says Arlington Heights' Huckstadt. "We were looking for ideas that were cost-effective and lent themselves to that type of environment."

In design talks, PHN and park district directors felt the stairway entry and exit would double as a play feature, a spot for people to sit and talk, Huckstadt says.

"During our public discussions on the pools, we found out a lot of people wanted a lot more deep water. The steps provide an additional feature in the diving well," he says.

It's no secret older kids think they're too cool for the pool. At the same time, these same kids love to congregate with their friends. The deepwater stairs give them an extra place to do so. "It gives the kids who don't want to be in the water playing with any of the features something to do, a place to go," says Gwinnup.

Sometimes, says PHN's Klarck, kids will all be milling about on the stairs. At others, some of the kids are enjoying the slide or diving board, while friends sit on the stairs watching.

And middle-school students do like to congregate there, says Gwinnup. "We've seen them stay longer throughout the day. And that in turn means they're buying more food from the concession stand," she says.

The stairs also give parents a spot to be with other parents and still be in the water. Morns can chat with each other while cheering on the child about to jump off the board or head down the slide.

5. Safety Satisfaction

"I think having stairs makes swimming in the deep water safer," says Gwinnup, of Arlington Heights. A fatigued swimmer can, once she makes it to the stairs, just walk out, instead of having to pull herself out.

"It doesn't make sense that it requires a variance. Stairs really make the pool safer," agrees Klarck. He believes some regulators may think that kids will see stairs and think the water is shallow, not deep.

"But I think it's more likely that they'd jump into deep water and run into trouble. The stairs offer a safety net," Klarck says.

Adding stairs does require some more space, more pool and a bit more money. Minimally, stairs can be added in as little additional space as 20 square feet. That will provide a 4-foot expanse of six risers, each of them the standard 12 inches wide. Cost will vary based on the size of the pool, and the design elements needed for the aquatic facility. At Olympic Swim Center, stairs were retrofitted for $10,000.

But for those that can afford it like Arlington Heights, the advantages outweigh the extra cash and land required. "They're tremendous," says Gwinnup. "And at our indoor pool, we're using them all year-round, not just during the summer. So certainly it's a good return for the money."

DIVING INTO DEEP-WATER STAIRS

Here are some points to consider when looking at adding stairs to a diving pool or other deep-water area:

Review all applicable codes

It goes without saying that all codes, from the local to the state level, must be double-checked to see if stairs are allowed or if a variance is required. In Illinois, for example, state health codes mandate that stairs be located where the water is 3 1/2 feet deep or less. Obviously, putting steps in a 13-foot deep pool runs contrary to that code.

Consider ADA regulations

In some situations stairs might be required under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In others, park district officials would like stairs to meet ADA guidelines.

Both Huckstadt and Holzrichter advised a review of all ADA guidelines during the design phase. If ADA compliance is important, design the stairs that way from the get-go, says Huckstadt. Don't put the stairs in first, and then try to figure out how to have them meet ADA guidelines later.

Extra space is needed

Stairs could be placed diagonally across the corner in the diving well, such as at the recently renovated Olympic Swim Center in Arlington Heights. That was possible primarily because the attraction on the other side of the pool is a drop slide, and not a diving board that would have required extra clearance. The diving well now offers a 1-meter board as well as the drop slide.

Arlington Heights' outdoor pool at Camelot Park, on the other hand, offers steps the entire 30-foot width of the pool.

Minimally, stairs can be added in as little additional space as 20 square feet. That will provide a 4-foot expanse of six risers, each of them the standard 12 inches wide.

Investigate costs

The price tag for adding stairs will obviously depend entirely on the pool design, the length of the stairs and whether the design requires an additional concrete wall around the stairs. The stairs might be surprisingly affordable, or could blow your project budget.

"Price is individual and dependent on a whole range of factors," he says.

Let people know the stairs are there

Of course, visual cues are required to call attention to the concrete stairs, which are under water. Make sure each step is clearly marked with a strip, painted on in a dark, highly visible color.