Proposed Waukee Outdoor Aquatic Center

The city council of Waukee has proposed an outdoor water park, which will be voted on November 5, 2024.
This new aquatic park will cost 33 million dollars and will be located on 6th and University, and it will be close to the DMACC campus.

Waukee Mayor Courtney Clarke stated, “We have done quite a lot of work… for a lot of different options… for a senior aquatic program.” Mayor Clarke continued, “The lazy river is planned to be the longest in the state of Iowa. Another thing that will make this park unique is that there will be a deep water area for high diving and a rock wall.”

She went on to say that there will be places to rent out so people can hold birthday parties and neighborhood get-togethers. Mayor Clarke also stated that there are no city-run swimming lessons, and with this new aquatic facility, they will be able to provide swim lessons. The Mayor also stated that property taxes will be raised to help fund the new aquatic center. It would be the equivalent of seven to eight dollars per $100,000.

According to Isaac Pargas, a sophomore at Northwest, “The aquatic center is a really good idea. You don’t really get to see the younger part of the community as active.”

Pargas went on to say that this will make more kids wanna go outside and be active instead of playing video games all day. He also stated that it will help kids who are not very active get their two hours of exercise in for that day. “Something that would influence me not to go is the fact this new place will bring a lot of people to it daily, and that it will be busy for the first year or so,” Pargas stated. He also said that he would like to see an organization with this new place.

According to Krystal Logli, a Waukee community member, “All guests must pay whether they plan to swim or not, guests not accompanied by an adult must be at least 12 years old and there should be plenty of lawn chairs.”
She also wants there to be a swim test for anyone trying to go in the deep end, and if they pass she thinks they should get a wristband to prove that they passed the swim test.

Some things that the new aquatic center will have are a splash pad, a lap pool, a climbing wall, a basketball hoop and diving boards among other additions. The city of Waukee has some splash pads scattered around the city, but this will be something anyone can enjoy. This will be more than just a couple of small pools, it will be more like a water park. There will be something for everyone: someone who likes to just walk laps in the lazy river, just wants to swim laps in the lap pool or a kid who wants to splash in the splash pad. And if anyone ever gets bored of one part of the aquatic center, there is always another section that they might enjoy.