Swimming in Prato took off in the 1960s. The development of the sport since then has involved thousands of people, especially children, as shown by the many facilities and the national and Olympic champions in the different swimming disciplines. There are 15 swimming pools in the province, of which 8 are municipal/public ones. In the municipal swimming pools alone, annual attendance of swimmers of all ages and levels is over 700,000 hours – the equivalent of each inhabitant going to a swimming pool five times a year for at least one hour. The municipal swimming pools are managed by Centro Giovanile di Formazione Sportiva (Youth Sports Training Centre), an association founded all those years ago to organize children's physical activities, and now a strong point of reference for sports training and a centre that stands out in Italy for its size and organization.
The swimming pool in Via Roma is set in one of the most important city parks, called Parco della Liberazione e Pace, but with its own separate entrance.
It includes two large pools, one of which is Olympic size, and smaller pools for children. In winter it is covered and used for training by different sports clubs; in particular, the Olympic pool is used for water polo, synchronized swimming and other disciplines. It is in the summer, however, that it reaches its peak, hosting thousands of children, young people and families who find refreshment during the hot days in the city and coming alive in the evening with music and shows. The venue can also be used for events and birthdays. The area includes a very popular tennis court and a five-a-side football field.
For more information:
www.comune.prato.it
www.cgfs.it/in-piscina