More Top Picks Best Tower Fans
player ready...Elgin’s Wing Park Family Aquatic Center will be getting a $600,000 “glow-up” this fall, the centerpiece of which will be a new toddler slide with water features, shaded areas and interactive elements.
The new amenity from PlayNu by Vortex, with a pricetag of about $100,000, will be installed once the swimming season ends in mid-August. Other work includes refurbishing the adult slide, improving the high dive ladder, and making repairs and improvements to the pool and deck.
The slide will be the most noticeable change, said Steve Gard, senior recreation supervisor of aquatics, who described it as “a standout addition for younger children with its interactive elements, colorful design and age-appropriate slide.”
It will have two play decks, five water play elements and a 30-inch open flume waterslide that provides a mini waterpark experience for young children, he said. There will be a low-slide entry and interactive features like geysers and water cascades.
“It’s designed to foster exploration and adventure in a safe, age-appropriate environment, with gentle sprays, colorful graphics and clear sightlines for parents,” Gard said.
Funding for the slide and other improvements for the pool, located at 100 Wing St. in Elgin’s historic wing park, were approved at a recent Elgin City Council meeting.
The pool has an existing toddler slide that’s 25 years old and will be demolished along with the existing pad and pool floor. A pedestal pad for the new slide will be added.
Wing Park pool’s adult slide is also getting refreshed. Contractors will power wash and sand the slide to remove grease dirt, and oxidation, according to city documents. Minor fiberglass repairs will be done before it’s repainted.
As a safety measure, a new high dive ladder and a safer diving structure are to be added.
The pool itself will have its cracks repaired before new paint is applied to the walls, floors and steps and slip-resistant coating added to the zero-depth entry areas and steps, Gard said. The deck also will be repaired.
All the changes will help ensure the pool is in compliance with modern safety standards for slides and pool surfaces, officials said.
The entire facility will look refreshed when the work is done in November, Gard said.
“With the refinishing of the pool vessel floors and flume slides, the pool will look and feel ‘new’ again, creating a cleaner, brighter, and more enjoyable environment for all ages,” he said. “These updates together will significantly enhance the overall guest experience.”
The most important aspect of the project is the work that will be done to the pool itself, he added.
“This work is essential to address wear and tear, improve safety and extend the life of the facility,” Gard said. “By restoring the surfaces, the pool will be better protected from further damage, provide a safer environment for guests, and maintain a clean, professional appearance for the upcoming swim season.”
Elgin’s first pool was created in 1908 when the city dammed up Tyler Creek, according to Elgin’s Heritage Commission. The “mud hole,” as it was called, remained in use until 1924, when the city’s first concrete pool was built.
In the years since then, Wing Park pool underwent numerous renovations before the city decided to spend $5.5 million to create the aquatic center in 2000, which is what residents use today. It has a 22,653-square-foot recreation pool, a double flume slide, a sand volleyball court, diving well, four water play features, a bathhouse, a competition lap pool, a children’s play area with a zero-depth pool, and a concession building.
The slides were last refinished in 2014, Gard said.
Wing Park pool has about 21,000 visits per year, post COVID-19. As of this week, they had already reached 19,545 visits, Gard said.
“If the weather cooperates for the remainder of the season, we are on pace to exceed our average annual attendance,” he said.
More Top Picks Best Water Heaters For Hard Water
It’s one of two outdoor pools in the city, the other being Lords Park Family Aquatic Center at 100 Oakwood Blvd. An indoor pool, Adventure Land, is located at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.