Van Nuys / Sherman Oaks Aquatic Center

This could be my favourite swim to date!

It’s finally happened, I was charged the over 50’s senior rate! To be fair (to me) I was wearing a face mask and to the guy on reception, he immediately panicked and apologised when I lowered my mask - it must have been my reaction. Either way, the $1 entry fee stood, so this is probably the cheapest non-free swim to date.

The pool is located in the Van Nuys / Sherman Oaks Park, a fantastic location with basketball, baseball, tennis and numerous other sports facilities for the local community, all flood-lit for evening use. The area has a really safe, chilled out feel; kids are still running around playing hide-and-seek even after dark and lots of people making good use of the facilities even on a Monday evening.

The previous night was a late one, with pitch-side tickets to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play the LA Chargers in a very entertaining game at the brand new and very impressive SoFI stadium - but with any 70,000 seater stadium in a country where everyone drives, the traffic was horrendous, it took more than an hour to exit the car park!

The Van Nuys / Sherman Oaks pool is actually a full 50m x 25 yards and the schedule includes some 50m sessions, fortunately for my shoulders, tonight it’s set up with an incredible number of 25-yard lanes (more lanes than I can add to the CMS form here so ignore the 12 lanes shown in the specs below), I count 18 but the ends are set out for disabled ramp access and the diving pit so it could easily be more. The fact that they manage to get flags to stretch the 50m without hardly a droop is also impressive!

The changing rooms are large and basic but still have multiple power showers and swim kit spin driers - and have a brilliant mesh-bag-on-hanger system, I’ve not seen this before but it works perfectly, you take a hanger, put your shoes, clothes etc. in the mesh pockets and hand it over to be stored in the secure caged area.

It’s a beautifully warm evening and the sun sets in the distance as I jump in and make a start. Complete a 1,200-yard swim and feel fresh. Continue on for another five 400m then a few 100’s to make it a 4,000 year total. Spend a good 10 minutes floating in the middle of the pool listening to the staff mixtape and watching the criss-cross of LAX, Van Nuys and Burbank airport traffic.

The facilities were very US public pool standard outdoor cast concrete, but brilliant in every way, huge pool deck with various swim accessories available for use. Notable congratulations to the lifeguard who crafted the pool-side music playlist, every track was perfect; This is definitely a pool for the repeat visit list, I only wish we had a similar pool setup at home (and the warm evening weather).


Swim Stats

  • Length: 4000 yards total swim
  • 1:27 pace / 100y
  • Garmin Swim 2 Watch

Review

(88/100)

Pool facilities were very outdoor public pool standard but clean, well spec'd and staffed. The location is great and general vibe of the area fantastic.


Pool Details

  • Length: 25 yards
  • 12-lane pool
  • Outdoor (Heated)

Van Nuys / Sherman Oaks Aquatic Center
14201 Huston St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423


Previous Pool (Malibu Community Pool) Next Pool (Ironmonger Row Baths)