LAWTON – The aquatic center to be built in Elmer Thomas Park “is on target to be finished on time,” municipal Parks and Recreation Director Larry Parks told the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
The contractor is “getting forms laid to pour concrete,” Parks said during the Dec. 2 commission meeting.
Miller Tippens Construction of Oklahoma City was the lone bidder on construction of a 42,200 square-foot aquatic center that will feature a wide range of amenities.
Parks told commission member Linda Neal during a Sept. 3 meeting that two parking lots will be constructed at the $19 million aquatic center. One lot will have 155 spaces and other will have “either 155 or possibly 255.”
The goal of city officials is to have the aquatic center completed in time for the 2025 Freedom Festival next summer, according to City Councilman George Gill.
“I fully expect to have all wading pools and splash pads ADA-accessible and open for next season,” Parks previously told the commission.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and structural improvements to wading pools at the 35th Division, Harmon and Mocine parks will start whenever the City Council gives the word, Parks said. Plumbing will be upgraded and shade will be installed for protection from the summer sun.
The Mocine and 35th Division parks also will get new play units, he said.
Lee West Park “is getting a new play unit and a splash pad,” and the Clement Washington Sr. “spray park” will be renovated, Parks told Southwest Ledger. Amenities for East Side Park are “on hold pending the outcome of our new sports facility,” he said.
When asked Dec. 2 by the Parks and Recreation Commission about the swimming pool, Parks said he’s “waiting on the final master plan for Mattie Beal Municipal Pool.”
New flooring is being installed in the restrooms at Elmer Thomas Park and at the Skate Park, he said.
New park equipment for nine municipal parks has been stored at Elmer Thomas Park, “waiting to be installed,” Parks said. Those include Gooch Acres, Skyline East, Hunter Hills, Prairie, 35th Division, Willow Creek, Mocine, Lee West, and Greer Park.
Earlier this year the city’s Parks and Recreation Department was awarded a SPARK grant from Play & Park Structures of Choctaw, Oklahoma. The 50/50 matching grant covered half the cost of any play structures the Parks Department purchased prior to Oct. 31.
Parks said his goal is “to replace all unserviceable and outdated play units in our city parks.” The SPARK grant “will help us bring new, modern playground equipment to the parks, enhancing the recreational experience for families and children.”
The Parks and Recreation Department was already upgrading several parks using funds generated by the 2019 PROPEL Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The SPARK grant enables the department to upgrade additional parks, too.
Commission member Jeshialix Sutherland mentioned basketball courts and asked Parks, “Have you had any thoughts about a partnership to reduce the cost? Seventy dollars a day for two hours” can be prohibitive, she indicated.
“We can talk about that,” Parks answered.
“There are not enough [basketball] courts in our community,” Parks said later. The municipal Parks Department has used Lawton public school basketball courts, but can’t this time of year when schools are hosting their own basketball games. And using outdoor courts this time of year is not practical because of the chilly weather, Parks noted.
Patterson Community Center, Owens Center, and H.C. King Center all have indoor basketball courts.
When asked about CIP funding, Parks said, “We have a series of requests about seven different initiatives, and we’ll need funding for them. It’ll be a huge undertaking.”
One such project is dredging and stone riprap at Liberty Lake. “The need to improve this park and lake area are a high priority for our next CIP initiative,” the director told the Parks and Recreation Commission. “This park has issues with erosion and shallow waters in the late summer season.”