On the morning of June 1st, the opening ceremony of HUST’s natatorium was held. University leaders, Li Yuanyuan, Zhan Yiqing, Ma Jianhui and Yu Junqing attended the ceremony. Sun Jingbo, Dean of the School of Physical Education, presided over the ceremony.

Ma Jianhui, Vice Chair of the University Committee, delivered an opening speech at the natatorium’s opening ceremony, in which he expressed his gratitude to all staff for their contributions to the natatorium’s construction. He emphasized that the opening of the natatorium was a key step in achieving “First-Class Physical Education” at HUST. He said that HUST always put students first and aimed to train talent. He added that the opening of the natatorium will allow more PE courses to become available, improve the health and well-being of teachers and students, and foster well-rounded talent. He hopes that the natatorium will bring great benefits to all HUSTers.

Following the ceremony, university leaders toured the natatorium and checked its facilities and design. They also talked to students there to get feedback and suggestions regarding the natatorium.

The natatorium is surrounded by nature, with a forest on its west side and a lake on its east. Facing the Optics Valley Stadium, the natatorium resembles the crown of a tree, reflecting HUST’s identity as a "forest university". The perforated structure on its side looks like it is made of optical fibers, symbolizing the connection between Optics Valley and HUST.

The natatorium has a total construction area of over 32,000 square meters and is 24 meters tall with three underground floors and three floors above ground. The first floor, the main body of the natatorium, is equipped with changing rooms, showers and other facilities that meet the requirements for mass sports events. The second floor is the spectator stands and office management area. The third floor is the ball games hall which will be open to teachers and students in the near future. The three underground floors include integrated mechanical rooms, training rooms, parking garages, etc.

In terms of water quality, the natatorium adopts advanced diatomaceous earth filtration technology and is equipped with a circulating water conditioning system. Additionally, water quality inspectors conduct three water quality tests a day to ensure that the water quality is up to standard. Before the deep-water certification examinations began (which students must pass before they can get admission to the deep water pools), the quality inspectors tested the water quality of the pool water and all indexes were in line with national regulations. As for safety, the pool is equipped with a lifeguard observation platform and has 16 full-time and some part-time lifeguards to ensure swimmers’ safety.

The HUST natatorium is a project that not only enhances the university’s comprehensive strength but also benefits its teachers and students. The university is committed to building high quality sports facilities to create pleasant sporting conditions to HUSTers.

Written by: Li Yi

Edited by: Hu Zhenxiang, Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng