Aquatic center expansion underway

By Krista Wadsworth

Outdoor portion of facility to include new children's structure

The major expansion of the Outdoor Aquatic Center at the Frisco Athletic Center is now underway, but because of delays in the bidding process, residents will have to wait until 2015 to experience the new features.

The construction will expand the center's footprint from 60,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet and allow an additional 400 people a day for a 1,000-person maximum.

The new features include:

• 40-foot Wizard mat racers (four-slide structure that allows participants to race to the bottom)
• 300-foot extension of the lazy river
• new children's play structure 10 times the size of the current structure
• new bathhouse/restroom/concession area
• new ticket/entry facility
• 50 additional parking spaces

The expansion, to be constructed by Fain Group Inc., will cost about $6.35 million, exceeding the budgeted amount of $6 million. City officials acknowledged at a recent City Council meeting the project's cost was underestimated.

A tube slide complex, originally planned as part of the expansion, was left out of the new plans because it would have added an additional $1.23 million to the project.

The tube slide has been replaced in the plans by a sand play area, which could be used as a volleyball pit as well.

City officials originally bid out the project in spring 2013 but received only one bid of about $8 million. As a result, the project was bid out again this spring, resulting in the city being able to choose from six contractors.

The construction started the end of May. Crews are working on the infrastructure outside the current facilities and using temporary fencing to keep patrons safe.

Once the water park closes on Labor Day, Sept. 1, construction will begin on the rest of the facility.

The estimated completion date is mid-April 2015, before the 2015 summer aquatic season starts.

The Frisco Community Development Corp. is funding the expansion.