Walking into Salvador Perez Pool and workout complex, one would never know that it's among the oldest of the city's recreation facilities. The complex recently reopened after being closed for renovations.

Liz Roybal, a manager for all of the city of Santa Fe's recreation facilities, said that the makeover did wonders.

"What we realized is that we just needed to give it a little TLC and some new paint and new tile," Roybal said. The inside of the building used to be painted a baby blue color, but is now a bright white, and the beige-and-white tiles give the weight room a new feel.

"The tile had seen better days," Roybal said with a laugh. "We got our money's worth out of that tile."

Salvador Perez was closed for 10 days, and the staff did the work themselves. The cost of materials was $5,000, which came from the city's capital-improvement funds.

"Everything was done in-house. Everybody painted — including myself. It was really kind of a team-building exercise, if you will," Roybal said. "The staff was excited to get it cleaned."

They moved all the weight equipment, took apart the mats and redid the tile and did a deep cleaning.

"We cleaned old records and cleaned up the storage room," Roybal said. "We just did some work that needed to be done for a cleaner, safer environment."

Roybal said the staff also ensured the pool's pumps were thoroughly cleaned and in working order.

"The staff has a sense of pride that they worked together to make a huge improvement," Roybal said. She added that Salvador Perez was the only facility in the city that didn't have an annual maintenance shutdown, something she hopes to establish.

Roybal is getting bids to redo the pool deck and install no-slip mats in the locker rooms. She said that's an important fix to keep the facility's vital programs like swimming lessons and water aerobics going. Pool manager Gerald Martinez agrees.

"We need to upgrade the decks because of safety," Martinez said. "The surface becomes more slippery every year. We need to be safe."

He remembered coming to the pool when he was a kid as part of the "Minnows" swimming program. Although the program is now designated by levels, not names, he noted lessons could help the kids find their passion.

"Some of these kids may become lifeguards," Martinez said as he motioned toward a few of the little swimmers, happily splashing around as instructors Michele Leyba and Johnny Romero took turns giving each one individualized instruction. "I started here when this was called the Minnows, and I became a lifeguard, and now I'm a manager."

Miguel Castillo has been swimming at the pool since he was a 6-year-old. Now 53, Castillo is still a regular at the complex and now coaches his own 6-year-old son in the Northern Aquatic Club Otters, which uses the Salvador Perez lanes for practices.

"To me (Salvador Perez) is the heart of Santa Fe," Castillo said. "I spent more time here than any other place except school and home. I'm not the only one who feels that way. This is a place where a lot of people spent their childhood."

Castillo is appreciative of the renovations and noted "It looks the best it's ever looked."

For more information about memberships or classes, call 955-2604.

Contact Ana Maria Trujillo at 986-3084 or atrujillo@sfnewmexican.com.