PHOTOS: A Look Inside The New Martin Luther King, Jr. Natatorium

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday, Oct. 30.

Ian Palmer / WABE

Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the new Martin Luther King Jr. Natatorium in Atlanta on Monday morning, including elected officials and members of King’s family.

King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King spoke to the crowd at the event. She said her father was an avid swimmer.

The family originally honored King’s love for swimming with the original natatorium built near the King Center in the late-70s, but it was closed in 2012 due to structural problems.



The new natatorium, a $23.5 million project funded by the Renew Atlanta infrastructure bond, is a few blocks from the old location.

Read more here.

WABE’s Molly Samuel contributed to this report.