The city of Lynnwood took another big step this week in the renovation of its recreation center. Seven huge wood beams arrived on site in three special deliveries.

“The existing beams over the lap pool were a key architectural feature of the existing building. We wanted to retain and enhance that design element throughout the new facility,” said Keith Comes, principal architect on the project.

Each beam weighs over 16,000 pounds, and is five feet tall and 104-feet long. Due to the size of the beams, special “rear wheel steering” trucks were brought in from New York City to haul the beams from Portland to Lynnwood. One of the largest mobile cranes in the area capable of lifting 350,000 pounds was used to lift each beam into place.

Over the existing lap pool, a new, translucent, semi-retractable skylight roof system will be installed over the course of the next several weeks.

“We’ll have about 12 feet of operable panels above the center of the pool on a motorized system, so that the roof can be opened when temperature and weather allow.  Residents commented during our community outreach efforts that keeping the indoor-outdoor quality of the pool was very important,” Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Sordel said.

The new $25.5 million rec center is scheduled to open in April 2011. It will feature a new leisure pool, new family lockers rooms, expanded cardio/weight room, new group exercise room, new mechanical and electrical systems, and new interiors throughout.