The International Swimming Hall of Fame hosted its groundbreaking ceremony for the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center $27 Million renovation project on Friday. The event was witnessed by hundreds of local media, swimmers, and south Florida residents to celebrate the beginning of the future of the Swimming Hall of Fame Aquatic Center, Fort Lauderdale.

The renovations will include:

• Remove existing 50m competition pool and provide a new expanded fully FINA compliant standard pool with stainless bulkheads.
• Remove existing diving pool and provide new fully FINA compliant diving pool and tower including five platform levels (1m, 3m, 5m, 7m, 10m), and 1m and 3m springboards
• Remove existing spa for divers and provide new spa
• Repair existing 50m training pool with new surfacing and gutters
• Relocate and expand the instructional pool to the southwest corner of the peninsula
• Provide new filtration system, pumps, and chlorination system for all pools
• Resurface and raise pool deck to allow for increased pool depths for competition-level use
• Remove existing grandstand building and bleachers on north side of facility and provide new grandstand with spectator restrooms, concessions, ticket office, and metal bleachers for +/ 1500 spectator capacity
• Provide site improvements that include parking and drainage improvements, new stadium lighting, landscaping, sidewalks, and new main entry plaza

The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex has been in place since December 1965 when the International Swimming Hall of Fame inducted its first class. Since then, it has played host to numerous international and national level events in aquatic sports and has had ten world records fall from swimming legends Mary T. Meagher, Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin.

The main competition pool is currently closed and the facility will officially close April 17. The finished renovations are scheduled to finish in October 2020.

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is pleased to announce that Marcos Van Dorn will become the first Chaplain ever appointed by ISHOF.  The ISHOF Board of Directors and the City of Fort Lauderdale approved the relationship in a formal document on April 4th, the day before the official groundbreaking for the renovation of the Aquatic Center.

"ISHOF's mission stresses the importance of sharing cultures, which naturally extends to the support of all beliefs and faiths," said Brent Rutemiller - ISHOF CEO.

"As ISHOF's Chaplin, we will serve a diversity of beliefs through a multi-faith chaplaincy and its relationship to numerous religious life affiliates. I am very pleased to be able to help with the spiritual needs of all the great people that come to ISHOF and the aquatic center from all parts of the world," said Van Dorn.

Pastor Mark G. “Marcos” Van Dorn is the Lead Pastor of Florida Faith Church, a multicultural community “Living Faith For Real People”. He is a father, family man, friend and extreme sports enthusiast. Mark was born in New Jersey and he and his wife Olga have been an integral part of our South Florida community for over 19 years. Mark spent a large part of his life living between Denver, Colorado and Madrid, Spain and his wife is from Caceres, Spain. He can often be found kayaking, scuba diving or surfing in South Florida. Mark spent the first 40-years of his life focused on education, business, language and culture, earning degrees including a Masters of Business Administration and a Doctorate in Business Administration. In 2013, Mark received his Master of Divinity degree. He has held executive and administrative positions with state universities and within private and public business enterprise. Mark’s wife, Olga is a journalist for NBC Telemundo. Mark and Olga have a beautiful 6 year old daughter, Gloria who is the light of their lives.