A gift just before St. Christmas
European support and state funds were not allocated for the construction of the Jonava basin, so all financing was taken care of by the district municipality. By choosing reliable professionals in their field, the city was able to build the new national attraction in a record-breaking two years. The Jonava swimming pool opened in 2022. December 15 This unusual gift was given to the town’s residents just before Christmas. It is like a silent thank you for their faith, trust and contribution to the success of this building.
Connected the city with nature
The Jonava swimming pool is located in the city center, surrounded by nature. “On its side is the central stadium and the Jonava sports arena. The pool windows overlook the city pond with beach and bike paths. Visitors can admire the views of the St. John’s Valley. Various entertainment and cultural events are constantly held here. In addition, at different times of the year, you can also see sports fans skiing or riding on mountain bike trails,” Aira Kaunietė, director of the Jonava swimming pool, described the uniqueness of the place.
The main task of the designers and builders of the Jonava basin was to maintain the integrity of nature. Therefore, the new building should not divide, but identify and enrich the urban landscape. For this, non-traditional interior and exterior solutions were used, which turned the Jonava pool and the surrounding environment into an oasis of peace and relaxation. The new entertainment and wellness area visually blends into the Joniniai Valley. And the building itself reflects what is important to Jonava and its residents: the city’s identity, culture and traditions.
Natural materials of concrete, metal, wood and glass were used for the construction of the Jonava basin and its connection with the Joniniai valley. In the southern part of the building, there is a retaining wall that extends the relief of the hills of the valley, as if flowing into the interior of the basin. The details and objects of different silhouettes and heights in the interior of the building are close to the forms of the urban landscape. It is also given life by the play of light and shadows coming through the spacious showcase windows.
The first in the Baltic countries
The Jonava swimming pool pays particular attention to safety. “Where there is water, there is not only fun, but also danger. Therefore, we sought to protect the health of visitors as much as possible. Using the latest technologies and artificial intelligence, we were the first in the Baltic countries to install a drowning prevention system in the water areas of the pool,” the company’s director emphasizes the uniqueness of the pool.
Cameras integrated in the water record a person experiencing a drowning accident or a person who has been underwater for too long and informs the lifeguards on duty in the swimming pool and spa areas about this in detail. After receiving a message on the smart watches, the workers respond in time and take all the rescue actions. Therefore, guests visiting the Jonava swimming pool can rest assured about their own and their children’s health and safety.
Fun without the smell of chlorine
Another no less innovative solution for the comfort of visitors is one of the most advanced water purification systems in Europe. It uses OH radicals instead of normal chlorine. Water effectively disinfected in this way does not have an unpleasant aftertaste of chlorine. And being in a swimming pool, massage or whirlpool becomes extremely pleasant and relaxing.
The Jonava swimming pool complex includes not only swimming and health facilities, but also entertainment areas. Unlike other pools in the country, there is a large amusement pool with various attractions for adults, as well as a small amusement pool with a slide for children. Little visitors are also delighted with the water slide, the fountain and the attraction of water currents rising from the floor. So there is no shortage of entertainment and various activities in the pool all year round.
A+ economic utility class
During the construction and design of the Jonava pool, there were particularly important details that gave the building an A+ economic efficiency class. High-quality materials resistant to moisture, salt and cold, an efficient recuperative ventilation and drying system, an automatically controlled modern filtration system and energy-saving innovative products contribute to a comfortable building microclimate and ensure the pool’s longevity.
One of the most clearly visible solutions is the selection of innovative water faucets with an integrated soap dispenser, hand and hair dryers from the market leader Dyson. Devices for washing hands are controlled remotely and have an introspection indicator, so visitors do not experience inconvenience. The hand dryer blows air purified by a HEPA filter, which destroys up to 99.95 percent of germs. of all contaminants, including bacteria and viruses. Hair dryers work quietly, efficiently and dry hair in the saving mode.
Everyone’s pool
The Jonava swimming pool, like other city facilities, is adapted to meet the needs of all people. It has a total of five pools: sports, baby, large entertainment, small children’s entertainment and children’s swimming pool. Those who avoid the depth of water can enjoy relaxing free time in massage and whirlpool baths, get well-being in steam baths and saunas, refresh themselves in the cold pool, try foot heating baths while sitting in heated chairs.
Each space has its own comfortable air and water temperature, different engineering solutions and thought-out details of the highest quality. Therefore, pregnant women, mothers with babies, children, adults, people with various disabilities and seniors feel comfortable here.
For pregnant women, babies and families
The water entertainment and leisure complex includes a baby pool with a separate changing room, changing rooms and showers. This helps families feel comfortable and safe by avoiding the general visitor traffic. Here is everything that parents may need – changing tables, playpens, toys and equipment needed for activities. For their convenience, the pool cafe and changing areas have highchairs for children. Little customers who don’t know how to swim yet, but are eager for water fun, can float and disintegrate wearing a life jacket or swimming sleeves.
“In the baby pool, group exercises are conducted for pregnant women, group swimming lessons are held for small children, individual baby exercises on land, individual and group swimming for babies. Group exercises are also performed in the water to strengthen the shoulder girdle and back,” A. Kaunietė, director of the Jonava swimming pool, mentions wellness activities for families.
The pool is also full of events and holidays for family recreation. It is planned that in the future, the mascot of the Jonava swimming pool will welcome the participants. It is created based on the drawing of the runner-up from Jonava who participated and won in the competition “Let’s create a talisman of the Jonava pool”.
Free training for seniors
The Jonava swimming pool encourages seniors to be physically active, so they are also invited to visit the new spaces of the city. As part of a municipal project, residents of the city of Jonava are offered free interval aerobics training in the pool. This contributes to the healthy lifestyle of seniors, socialization, open communication by finding not only like-minded people, but also new friends.
Adapted for persons with disabilities
Aira Kaunietė is convinced that people with disabilities are also welcome in the Jonava swimming pool. According to her, the premises of the building, some of the showers and toilets are adapted for people with mobility disabilities. In order for people with special needs to feel free, there is also a separate changing room. And the available lift helps to bring a person safely to the edge of the pool and lower him into the water.
“Free trainings are already being conducted for the members of the Disabled Activity Center (NVC), the Disabled Society (ND), the Blind and Visually Impaired Union (LASS), the diabetes club “Ramunė”, and “Jonavos Viltis”. Also, according to the special sponsorship program, students of the city’s special education department have the opportunity to exercise for free. In addition, a special sticker with the symbol of the Paralympic team “Parateam Lietuva” – an acorn – was presented to the Jonava swimming pool. This only confirms that the swimming pool meets the needs of different people and is very necessary for both the city’s residents and its guests,” the company’s director asserts.
Draws attention to swimming
In the Jonava pool, a lot of attention is paid to swimming. The 25-meter sports pool has four swimming lanes where adults can learn or improve their swimming skills during group training or individual lessons. National swimmers can also train here. According to the city’s mayor, “Lithuanians traveling both in Lithuania and around the world are demanding and looking for quality service. They have seen and visited many places and have something to compare our services to. Therefore, we wanted our pool to stand out in terms of services, aesthetics and quality.”
More than 200 young athletes learn to swim in the adjacent children’s pool. And this year, over 400 second-grade students are participating in the national program “Learn to swim and behave safely in the water!”, which has been running for the 14th year, conducted by the Jonava swimming pool. Various sports events and competitions are also regularly held here, where young swimmers can test their strength.
The mayor of the city, M. Sinkevičius, claims: “The Jonava pool is another victory for the city. The team and I took an active interest in both the design process and the construction process. I demanded that everything be thought out down to the smallest detail, from the bathroom equipment to the clothes hook. More and more residents of Kaunas, Kėdainiai, Ukmergė and further cities are coming here. Therefore, today I am calm and know that our object really lives up to the expectations of the residents of Iona and the entire country.”
Participant of the “Super Cities” project
