Missoula News

Splash Montana

New Aquatic Center Mostly Ready, Lap Pool Will Wait

By Brenna Moore, 5-23-06

Photo by Mark Maher

While the Splash Montana part of Missoula's new aquatic facility is weeks away from opening at Playfair Park, "the Lake" will stay dry this summer.

As the Missoulian reported earlier this week, Splash Montana is nearing completion. It will feature three water slides, a lazy river, a log walk, a children's pond, beaches for playing volleyball and cafe and picnic areas. However, the 50-meter pool for lap swimming, referred to as "the Lake", isn't scheduled to open until next summer, if funds can be met, said Missoula Aquatics Recreation Specialist Eric Seagrave. The money for the lap pool is cheifly being raised by donations and through fundraisers. The design of the pool, being done by Swim Missoula Inc., will determine how much it ends up costing, Seagrave said.

But the center's admission prices aren't being adjusted to account for the lack of "the Lake", Seagrave said. Daily entry rates, as well as summer and annual passes, will remain the same if the lap pool does open.

"(The rates are) a pretty good deal," Seagrave said. The price of a season or annual pass is better than paying each visit to the facility, Seagrave said. Rates are for the summer season, starting mid-June and ending Sep. 4. And for two dollars a person, citizens who live within Missoula's city limits receive a twenty percent discount on entry fees, pool passes, swim lessons and other pool programs.

Missoula Parks and Recreation's water project will open in mid-June with what they've been marketing, Seagrave said. "The 50-meter pool is just icing on the cake," he said.

Lap swimmers shouldn't be disappointed because the old 50-meter pool at McCormick Park, referred to as "Classic McCormick," will remain open until the new indoor water park, "Currents," the other part of the aquatics project, opens in September.

"These people are still being served by having 'Classic McCormick' open this summer," Seagrave said.

"Currents" is a year-round water park and includes many features similar to Splash Montana, including two water slides, leisure and lap pools and a community room available for public use.

Seagrave said the new centers are going to help in feeding Missoula's growing interest in aquatics.

"I think these facilities are really going to blow everybody away," Seagrave said.

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