‘A real jewel’: Richmond embraces The Plunge, city’s historic swimming pool 

It literally started out as a hole in the ground.

In the early 1920s, entrepreneur John Nicholl tried to drill for oil on his land in Point Richmond. He eventually hit solid rock but keep on drilling, eventually hitting an artesian well that yielded 1,000 gallons of natural water per minute, according to Bonnie Jo Cullison, president of the Point Richmond History Association.

In 1924, Nicholl finally gave up on his venture and ceded the plot of land to the city, which made use of the well water. A bond issue was approved to pay for construction of a swimming pool which opened in 1926.

Today, the site is home to The Plunge, a popular indoor swimming pool owned and operated by the city of Richmond.

More than 20,000 visitors a year make use of the historic community pool. Its busiest months are, in order: July, June, August and April.

The Plunge still has its Art Deco design, its high ceiling and 170 windows, 132 of which can be opened and closed.

The pool holds 324,000 gallons of water, heated by 30 kilowatts of solar energy generated by 3,500 square feet of solar hot water panels.

“The Plunge is an asset to the community, not only because of its history, but also because of the great benefits it adds to all of Richmond,” said Richmond City Councilmember Cesar Zepeda, whose District 2 includes the community swimming pool. “It provides a place for young and old to come together.  People from all over Richmond come here to swim and enjoy it. I used to swim there when I was a kid. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”

The Plunge was almost lost to history

The Plunge was nearly lost to history two decades ago.

The pool that opened in 1926 in a two-story building housed a warm-water swimming pool double the size of an Olympic pool. The facility also included a fountain in the pool’s midsection, observation decks and an open truss ceiling similar to the Sutro Baths in San Francisco.

For the next six decades, The Plunge was a favored spot for Richmond residents trying to stay cool or trying to stay in shape.

However, the clay-tile walls slowly began to crack and other parts of the pool deteriorated due to deferred maintenance. The Plunge was also damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and city voters rejected a bond measure in 1997 that would have paid for improvements.

Finally, the city closed the pool in 2002 and it appeared the community gathering place would be shuttered for good.

However, a group called Save The Plunge was formed and helped raise funds through an array of sources — from the federal government to historical associations to companies such as Chevron and American Express.

A $7 million renovation began in 2008 and The Plunge reopened in 2010.

Zepeda said the local community should continue to enjoy as well as invest in this treasured facility.

“I think it continues being a great asset to Richmond and we should be doing everything we can to preserve it,” he said.

Today, the pool is divided down the middle by a barrier where the fountain used to be located.

On the north side are shorter swimming lanes running toward the middle of the pool and back. On the south side are a half-dozen lanes that cross from one side of the pool to the other. Beyond those lanes is a large area for children to swim and play.

Something for everyone at The Plunge

On a recent Monday, nearly every lane was filled with people of all ages swimming at a variety of different speeds.

Jessie West was in an outside lane next to the side of the pool doing some water-resistance walking.

West, who has lived in the Richmond area since 1980, was a member of Save The Plunge and is pleased the pool is still around.

She has been coming to the pool several times a week for 30 years. She said she loves the design and the warm water.

“You get a feeling like you’re out in nature,” West said.

She added she would like to see the ventilation system improved so the windows don’t need to remain open during the colder winter months.

Nonetheless, West said the pool has something for people of all ages and activities.

“It meets every need,” she said.

Brendan Chua was nearby, swimming with a masters’ group that frequents the pool.

Chua lives in Hercules, but he has been coming here for more than six years because he likes the ambiance and the people.

“It’s a very beautiful pool,” he said. “It has lots of lanes and the water is warm.”

Isidro Najar was in the midst of his regular 2,000-yard swim workout on this particular day.

He lives nearby and walks to the pool on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to get in his exercise. He likes everything about The Plunge.

“We have a real jewel here,” Najar said.

In the children’s area on the other side of the pool, two mothers from Richmond had just met. Their young kids were playing together.

Saanaransta Ramirez, who lives nearby, said she likes the fact the children’s swim area is simple. No slides. No pool toys.

“They can just play. They can use their imagination,” she said.

Jeff Dybdal, a senior lifeguard at the pool, said the people who come here “run the gamut” and many like the fact The Plunge is indoors.

“It never rains on us here,” he noted.

Dybdal added the pool is “well-maintained” and is in good shape for a facility approaching its 100^th birthday.

“It’s an old building, but it is a young facility in terms of infrastructure,” he said.

City officials say Plunge employees constantly do routine maintenance around the facility. They have been researching grants for potential renovations, including improving the second-floor observation deck so visitors can once again be allowed upstairs.

Allan Jensen, the president of the Richmond Friends of Recreation that was formed in 1979 to advocate for city recreation programs, said he too would like to see the observation decks upgraded to meet standards for hosting events.

Otherwise, Jensen is happy with the pool he visited when he was a child and worked at while he attended San Francisco State. He still comes here to do lap swimming.

“I have always loved The Plunge,” he said.