Maintenance Closures

• The Canoa Ranch women’s locker room closed on Friday, August 22 from 5:30–9:30am for touch-up painting.
• West Center parking lot seal coating and striping will take place August 25–28. Please avoid walking on freshly sealed areas, as it may damage footwear. August 25–26: Southern lot by the woodshop (Calle de las Casitas) and tennis ramada lot with solar carports; August 27–28: Large west-facing lot and loading dock area.
• The Desert Hills boxing gym is open and the fitness center is now accessible via the main stairwell or the pool deck. Please discontinue using the fitness studio to access the fitness center. The poker room remains closed.
• The Desert Hills locker rooms (including the outdoor shower and sauna) are closed for renovations until the end of August.
• The Desert Hills pool and spa are closed for mechanical upgrades until the end of August.
• The Abrego South pool, spa, and shower room buildings are closed. Shuffleboard , horseshoes, and sand volleyball are open and restrooms are available via the meeting room. Drop-in users should anticipate traffic through the room.
• The Casa Paloma II locker rooms are closed for tile repairs until Monday, September 1. The pool, unisex restroom, outdoor shower, and rec room remain open. The south entrance is closed. Please access the center via the main entrance on the west side of the building.
• The Santa Rita Springs pool and spa are closed for renovations. Reopening is scheduled for completion in mid-September. The fitness room, the locker rooms and the Santa Cruz room remain open throughout the work period.
• The Canoa Hills bocce courts close on Thursday, August 7 for resurfacing. The closure should be for one day only.

Flooring Care Closures:

• August 6–8: East Center auditorium, lounge, and game room
• August 11–13: East Center fitness
• August 12–13: East Center billiards

Abrego South pool updates

August 5, 2025

The pool and spa at Abrego South were closed on July 10 due to a significant water leak. For the third time in nine months, the supply line to the spa had broken. A supply line to the autofill for the pool was also leaking.

For the past two years, staff have kept a careful eye on the increasing cracks in the shower building and the heaving concrete on the pool deck. Every time there was a leak, these conditions would worsen. Between the end of May and the July 10 closure, the conditions worsened considerably.

In mid-July, staff toured the site with inspectors from the Santa Rita Fire District. SRFD consulted with Pima County building inspectors, who determined that at this time, the shower building is not occupiable.

Suspecting subsidence under the center, GVR contracted with Ninyo and Moore Geotechnical Consultants to conduct an assessment of the site. However, after a thorough initial inspection, the consultants feel that subsidence is unlikely. The nearly 50-year-old pool was probably built on improperly compacted soils (common in the 70s) and is showing typical signs of being at the end of its life. Its age, cracks in the plaster, heaving of the deck, and chronic plumbing ruptures all indicate that the pool is failing. On Friday, August 15, Ninyo and Moore technicians will pull several core samples from the pool deck and surrounding area to tell us if the site is built on soils that can be properly compacted for future building. Omni Pool Builders (the contractor currently refitting the Desert Hills equipment) will assess the site and share their recommendations.

If it seems that the pool can be repaired, GVR will then hire a structural engineer to provide advice on repairing or replacing the shower building.

With all this information in hand, staff will develop recommended options for the GVR Board of Directors to consider for the future of the Abrego South aquatics facilities. If the pool is failing but the soils are sound, the staff plan to recommend replacement of the pool and spa. If a new pool is needed, Abrego South pool users will be consulted on their preferences before a new facility is designed.

What’s happening at Desert Hills pool?

Late last year, GVR hired a credentialed pool design firm to assess all GVR pools and recommend actions to improve functionality and extend the lifespan of these popular amenities. Per their recommendations, routine maintenance practices have changed, and equipment upgrades are in the works. The firm deemed all GVR pools to be sound and functional, except the pool at Desert Hills. The initial suggestion to replace the pool for more than a million dollars was soon modified to a recommendation to upgrade equipment and plumbing for about $276,000.

The Desert Hills pool equipment upgrade project starts Monday, June 16. Members can expect the aquatics team to start draining the pool that day. The contractor will set up a sprinkler system around the edge of pool that morning to keep the plaster wet so it does not crack in the heat. The contractor will start by replacing a few floor drains when the pool is empty. Once they are done with that work, the pool will be refilled with the assistance of the Santa Rita Fire District, and the remaining plumbing and equipment work will commence.

The pool project is scheduled for completion in August, with the pool and spa to reopen at the same time as the renovated locker rooms.

Lightning and Pool Closures

GVR closes pools and clears pool decks whenever lightning is detected within five miles. The information can be found in the Corporate Policy Manual (CPM):

1.2.8 Special Uses, E. GVR Pool Management Policies

• GVR pools shall operate in compliance with Pima County Code Title 8, Chapter 8.322, Swimming Pool and Spas,” and any other applicable Pima County regulations.
• GVR staff has authority to close a swimming pool or spa if they determine that its operation and use presents danger to individuals.
• GVR determines when to close indoor and outdoor swimming pools and spas as a safety precaution.
  • Both outdoor and indoor pools will be evacuated before or when lightning is within five miles.
  • At the first signs of thunder or lightning occurring within five miles of an aquatic facility, all pool decks will close until 30 minutes after the last observed thunder or lightning.

Service Animals

Reminder: Only trained, working ADA service animals are allowed on GVR property. These animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities and must remain under their handler’s control at all times. Handlers are expected to ensure their service animal is well-behaved. Please note that therapy animals, emotional support animals, and pets are not permitted.

Lost and Found

GVR West Center Box Office at 1111 GVR Drive, 520-625-0288 (Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm)

Lost Something? We might have it. High-value items like jewelry, wallets, and electronics have been turned in and are waiting to be claimed. Valuables are held at the Box Office for 60 days. Everyday items such as towels and water bottles are held at the center where they were left behind, then donated after two weeks. Hygiene items and supplies are discarded. All donations go to the White Elephant. The Desert Hills poker room and boxing gym will reopen and the fitness center will again be accessible via the pool deck sometime next week.