Outdoor Swimming Pool

The outdoor swimming pool, a quintessential Trinity landmark, joined the campus in 1958.  Principal funds for the heated pool were provided by a Trinity student, D. Harold Byrd Jr., in honor of his parents and brother.

The Trinity pool is one of the largest collegiate outdoor pools in Texas. It’s used primarily for physical education instruction, student and faculty recreation, and intramural competition. It is also open to the public.

The pool is of Olympic dimensions. L-shaped, it measures 165 feet in length, with a width of 65 feet divided into eight lanes. The diving portion of the pool is 12 feet in depth.

The outdoor swimming pool opened in November 1959, including a special show by synchronized swimmers.

The pool was originally heated for year-round use. In 1992, Trinity renovated the pool as part of a sweeping project to renovate all athletic facilities, which included building the William H. Bell Athletic Center. With the addition of the new Bell Athletic Center pool, the outdoor pool began closing for the colder months of the year, and swim competitions were moved indoors.

In the warmer months, poolside remains the place to be for current students. The outdoor pool is a popular spot on campus to exercise, sunbathe, and catch up on reading. The pool has been a longstanding part of Trinity social life; past Trinity students have even been tempted to sneak in after hours.

The outdoor swimming pool has always been a popular spot for student life.

In 1981, a student called the campus police in the middle of the night, complaining his bike had sunk to the bottom of the pool.

“Upon investigation, campus personnel located the sunken bike, which they said failed to remain afloat during an intramural cross-water bike race earlier in the evening.” --Trinitonian, 1981

The security offices also reported finding several items of clothing and undergarments in the pool, origin unknown.