While Lakeshore Natatorium has played host to several large swimming competitions in recent years, John Pepper would love to see the granddaddy of them all back in Carrollton next July.

The assistant head coach for the Carrollton Bluefins is one of several members of the Carrollton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department with a vested interest in seeing the Bluefins host the GRPA State Swim Meet in 2009, something it had done in past years.

And with the current expansion renovations wrapping up, there’s a good chance that will be the case again in future years.

The Natatorium pool is in the process of adding two more lanes, increasing from six to eight, and also reaching the United States Swimming depth requirements so it can play host to such events as the GRPA state meet.

“In the past, we’ve been able to do 300 to 350 swimmers and now we can shoot for over 400 to 450 and be pushing it to the maximum with about 500 swimmers,” Pepper said.

The CPRCAD has already had to push back fall swim tryouts for the Bluefins due to the construction, but not by that much. The pool will be reopened to the public on Sept. 15 and Pepper said tryouts will more than likely fall right around that time as well.

Tryouts were originally scheduled from Sept. 8-11.

“We’re a little behind right now, but we’re also trying to make sure we get the facility cleaned up so the public, too, can also enjoy it,” Pepper said.

The new liner is expected to be completely installed by Monday and from there Pepper, Bluefin head coach David Weeks and several others will begin the cleaning and painting process before the new starting blocks can be put in.

Whiten Pools out of Carrollton was contracted to do the construction and it subcontracted Natare Corporation out of Indianapolis, Ind., to install the liner.

Pepper said the renovation plans have been in the works for more than a year now and he’s pleased to see the finishing touches getting underway.

“So we’ll have a full eight-lane pool, which will bring us the opportunity to host larger meets,” Pepper said. “We are shooting to hold the Georgia Recreation and Parks State Swim Meet here in July. We’ll bid on it at the upcoming meeting for the GRPA.

“Years ago we held the state meet here. We held districts this year, which we’re going to try to do again. Then the other, larger meets we also want to hold.”

And with those larger meets means more people coming into the community, staying overnight and bringing out-of-town dollars into the local restaurants and stores.

Pepper noted that with the Olympics gaining a lot of attention right now - especially swimming due to Michael Phelps’ historic eight gold-medal run - the recreation department is trying to build up more interest in the sport.

“We’re trying to ride the wave with what happened in the Olympics and the coverage of what Michael Phelps has done,” Pepper said.

Along with being a benefit to the Bluefin swim program, the renovations will also provide a service to the public, including groups that come in for water aerobics and things of that nature.

If things go on schedule from here on out, the pool should be piecing back together by the first of the month, tentatively, and getting filled up and ready to go.

“That’s at least what I’m shooting for. Don’t hold me on that time frame. All I know is that on Sept. 15 the pool will be reopened to the public,” Pepper said.