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TRENDS
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New Aquatic
Centers Make a Big Splash in Local Communities
By Laurie Burstein
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Above
right: Zero entry pools, lazy rivers and waterslides,
such as this one at Splash city Waterpark in Collinsville,
Ill., have become standard fare at municipality
swimming pools as well as waterparks.
Above: A Lazy River is an important component of
the entertaining aquatic centers, which are becoming
more like amusement parks.
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Summer means getting out of the heat and into a swimming pool. But
the classic rectangular pool with one diving board has gone through
a major transformation. Today's kids are treated to a full aquatic
experience with twisting slides, fountains and "lazy rivers"-all
in a fun, brightly colored interactive atmosphere. Aquatic centers
are springing up in so many municipalities across the St. Louis
region that they are considered a new kind of amusement park for
the entire family.
Aquaport in Maryland Heights is one of the newer municipal aquatic
centers. The $4.8 million complex, which can accommodate up to 1,800
guests at a time, hosts two zero-entry pools, five brightly colored,
twisting water slides, a 750-foot-long lazy river and a children's
play pool on approximately four acres. Aquaport had a record 77,000
visitors when it opened in June of 1998, and recently won an award
for its design from Athletic Business magazine.
Riding the wave of this trend is St. Louis-based Yarger Sports Architecture.
The firm specializes in recreational centers and is very busy these
days designing water parks, family aquatic centers and other types
of athletic facilities not only in Missouri, but in California,
Idaho, Illinois, Oklahoma, Michigan and New Jersey. Yarger has also
completed projects for Busch Entertainment at their Sea World and
Busch Garden centers in California and Florida.
Bill Yarger, president of the company, says many local communities
see building large family aquatic centers as a way to offer more
amenities to their residents. "We are being asked to design more
and more aquatic centers by local municipalities because communities
use them to help establish a higher quality of life. The role of
the community is to provide safe recreation and these types of community
centers are a good way to do that," Yarger explains. Yarger is currently
working with the cities of Bridgeton and O'Fallon on their aquatic
centers.
Mary Vaughan, director of Parks and Recreation for Maryland Heights
says the response by the community to Aquaport has been overwhelming.
"We've had far more visitors to our center than we anticipated.
Coming to Aquaport is like going to an amusement park. It's more
of an event than just going swimming," Vaughan explains.
The voters of Maryland Heights voted to fund the center by passing
a half-cent sales tax increase in 1995. The center was built in
about 15 months on vacant land and is adjoined to an indoor community
center. Prices to use the facility aren't cheap. For residents,
it costs $3 per child and $4 per adult. For non-residents, it's
$5 per child and $10 per adult. Season passes with lower package
costs are available.
Many other communities across the region have followed suit with
their own aquatic centers including Kirkwood, Chesterfield and Richmond
Heights. Still others are in various stages of designing and building
centers such as Webster Groves and Crestwood.
Both Yarger and Vaughan predict we will see more and more family
aquatic centers springing up throughout the region because they
are a big asset to a municipality and offer a service to the community.
With summer around the corner, these new, high-tech swimming pools
are sure to make a big splash.
Laurie Burstein is a St. Louis-based free-lance writer
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